bill waiving college tuition for child-care workers

The text as introduced · 600 words

89R3277 MM-F

By: Goodwin
H.B. No. 1934

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of

higher education for certain child-care workers.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 54.3532 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.3532. CHILD-CARE EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN CERTAIN

COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of higher

education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and required

fees charged by the institution for a child development or early

childhood education course or courses an undergraduate student who:

(1) is employed at a child-care facility licensed

under Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code;

(2) is enrolled in an associate degree or certificate

program in child development or early childhood education at the

institution;

(3) is making satisfactory academic progress toward

the student's degree or certificate program as determined by the

institution; and

(4) applies for the exemption not later than the

seventh day before the last date of the institution's regular

registration period for the applicable semester or other term.

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student may not

receive an exemption under that subsection for any course if the

student has previously attempted a number of semester credit hours

for courses taken at any institution of higher education while

classified as a resident student for tuition purposes in excess of

the maximum number of those hours specified by Section 61.0595(a)

as eligible for funding under the formulas established under

Section 61.059.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the governing board of

an institution of higher education may not provide exemptions under

that subsection to students enrolled in a specific class in a number

that exceeds 20 percent of the maximum student enrollment

designated by the institution for that class.

(d) 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.

(e) The 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.

(f) If the legislature does not specifically appropriate

funds to an institution of higher education in an amount sufficient

to pay the institution's costs in complying with this section for a

semester, the governing board of the institution of higher

education shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the

House Appropriations Committee the cost to the institution of

complying with this section for that semester.

SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating

Board shall adopt the rules required by Section 54.3532, Education

Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the

effective date of this Act.

(b) Section 54.3532, Education Code, as added by this Act,

applies beginning with tuition and required fees charged for the

2025 fall semester. Tuition and required fees charged for an

academic period before that semester are governed 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.