Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for victims of trafficking offenses who are or were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

The text as introduced · 592 words

90R1756 CMO-D

By: West
S.B. No. 217

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of

higher education for victims of trafficking offenses who are or

were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and

Protective Services.

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

SECTION 1. Section 54.366, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read

as follows:

(a) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees

authorized in this chapter, including tuition and fees charged by

an institution of higher education for a dual credit course or other

course for which a high school student may earn joint high school

and college credit, if the student:

(1) was under the conservatorship of the Department of

Family and Protective Services:

(A) on the day preceding the student's 18th

birthday;

(B) on or after the day of the student's 14th

birthday, if the student was also eligible for adoption on or after

that day;

(C) on the day the student graduated from high

school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;

(D) on the day preceding:

(i) the date the student is adopted, if that

date is on or after September 1, 2009; or

(ii) the date permanent managing

conservatorship of the student is awarded to a person other than the

student's parent, if that date is on or after September 1, 2009; or

(E) during an academic term in which the student

was enrolled in a dual credit course or other course for which a

high school student may earn joint high school and college credit;

and

(2) enrolls in an institution of higher education as

an undergraduate student or in a dual credit course or other course

for which a high school student may earn joint high school and

college credit not later than :

(A) the student's 27th birthday ; or

(B) the student's 30th birthday, if under

department rule the Department of Family and Protective Services

determines the student was a victim of an offense under Section

20A.02 or 20A.03, Penal Code, before or while the student was under

the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective

Services .

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), a child who exits

the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective

Services and is returned to the child's parent, including a parent

whose parental rights were previously terminated, may be exempt

from the payment of tuition and fees if the department determines

that the child is eligible under department rule.

(d) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human

Services Commission shall by rule develop factors for determining

eligibility under Subsection (a)(2)(B) or (c) [ this subsection ] in

consultation with the department and the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act to Section

54.366, Education Code, apply beginning with tuition and fees

charged for the 2027 fall semester. Tuition and fees charged for a

term or semester before the 2027 fall 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, 2027.