By: Springer S.B. No. 1811               A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to Firefighters Enrolled in Fire Science Courses          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sec 54.353, Education Code, is amended to read as   follows: (a) The governing board of an institution of higher   education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory   fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of   a fire science curriculum who:          (1)  is employed as a firefighter by a political subdivision   of this state; or          (2)  a member in good standing in a volunteer firefighter   department, registered with Texas Forest Service and providing 911   service to a designated area: is currently, and has been for at   least one year, an active member of an organized volunteer fire   department participating in the Texas Emergency Services   Retirement System or a retirement system established under the   Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's   Texas Civil Statutes) and who holds:                      (i)  attends at least 20 hours of annual training;                       (ii)  attends or provides support services for at   least 25 percent of the departments emergencies in a   calendar year; and                       (iii)  and who holds:                (A)  an Accredited Advanced level of certification, or   an equivalent successor certification, under the State   Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas volunteer   certification program; or                (B)  Phase V (Firefighter II) certification, or an   equivalent successor certification, under the Texas   Commission on Fire Protection's voluntary certification   program under Section 419.071, Government Code.          (b)  An exemption provided under this section does not apply   to deposits that may be required in the nature of security for the   return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students.          (c)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who for a   semester or term at an institution of higher education receives an   exemption under this section may continue to receive the exemption   for a subsequent semester or term at any institution only if the   student makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or   certificate at that institution as determined by the institution   for purposes of financial aid.          (d)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided   under this section does not apply to any amount of additional   tuition the institution elects to charge a resident undergraduate   student under Section 54.014(a) or (f).          (e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided   under this section does not apply to any amount of tuition the   institution charges a graduate student in excess of the amount of   tuition charged to similarly situated graduate students because the   student has a number of semester credit hours of doctoral work in   excess of the applicable number provided by Section 61.059(l)(1) or   (2).          (f)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall   adopt:                (1)   rules governing the granting or denial of an   exemption under this section, including rules relating to the   determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption;   and                (2)  a uniform listing of degree programs covered by   the exemption under this section.   SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021