89R2394 CXP-D     By: Lopez of Bexar H.B. No. 290       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to assistance for tuition and fees at postsecondary   educational institutions for certain members of the Texas military   forces.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 54.345(b) and (c), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (b)  An institution of higher education shall exempt a person   certified by the adjutant general as described by Subsection (a)   from the payment of tuition for the semester credit hours for which   the person enrolls, not to exceed 15 [12] semester credit hours.  If   the person is not charged tuition at the rate provided for other   Texas residents, the amount of the exemption may not exceed the   amount of tuition the person would be charged as a Texas resident   for the number of semester credit hours for which the person   enrolls, not to exceed 15 [12] semester credit hours.          (c)  An institution of higher education shall exempt a person   who receives an exemption from tuition under Subsection (b) from   the payment of all mandatory fees for any semester or term in which   the person receives the tuition exemption.          SECTION 2.  Sections 437.226(c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and   (i), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:          (c)  The adjutant general shall grant assistance for tuition   and mandatory fees under this section to eligible service members,   in an amount not to exceed the amount provided in the General   Appropriations Act. The adjutant general may apportion the number   of assistance awards among the components of the Texas military   forces necessary to meet the recruitment and retention needs of   those components. The number of assistance awards made to members   of the Texas State Guard may not exceed 45 [30] for any semester or   term unless the adjutant general finds a compelling need for   additional awards to members of the Texas State Guard.          (d)  Assistance for tuition and mandatory fees may be awarded   under this section for tuition and mandatory fees charged for any   undergraduate or graduate course for any semester or term at an   institution of higher education or private or independent   institution of higher education, including a vocational or   technical course.          (e)  A service member may not receive assistance for tuition   under this section for more than 15 [12] semester credit hours in   any semester or term.          (f) A service member may not receive assistance for tuition   and mandatory fees under this section for more than seven [5]   academic years or 15 [10] semesters or terms, whichever occurs   first for the service member.          (g)  Before each semester or term, the department must   certify to the appropriate public and private institutions of   higher education a list of the service members to whom the adjutant   general has awarded assistance for tuition and mandatory fees under   this section for that semester or term.  The amount of assistance   awarded by the adjutant general under this section may not exceed   the amount of money available to fund the assistance awards.          (i)  From money appropriated for purposes of this section,   the department shall authorize the comptroller to make a grant to a   service member attending a private or independent institution of   higher education to whom the adjutant general has awarded   assistance for tuition and mandatory fees for the semester or term   under this section.  The amount of a grant under this subsection is   an amount equal to the average amount of reimbursement the   department estimates will be paid per student for the same semester   or term under Subsection (h).          SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025 fall   semester.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.