bill redefining volunteer firefighters for free fire science tuition

The text as introduced · 402 words

89R3010 JTZ-F

By: Ashby
H.B. No. 1507

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition and fee exemptions for firefighters enrolled in

certain courses at public institutions of higher education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.353(a), 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) is a member in good standing of a volunteer fire

department that is registered with the Texas A&M Forest Service and

responds to 9-1-1 emergency calls in a designated area [ 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 :

(A) attends at least 20 hours of annual training

approved by the State Firefighters' and Fire Marshals' Association

of Texas;

(B) attends or provides support services for at

least 25 percent of the department's emergencies in a calendar

year; and

(C) holds:

(i) [ (A) ] an Accredited Advanced level of

certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the

State Firefighters' [ Firemen's ] and Fire Marshals' Association of

Texas volunteer certification program; or

(ii) [ (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.

SECTION 2. Section 54.353(a), Education Code, as amended by

this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees

charged for the 2025 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees

charged for an academic period before that semester are covered by

the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. 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.