H.B. No. 1105 introduces a new provision in the Texas Education Code that exempts certain paramedics from paying tuition and laboratory fees at public institutions of higher education. Specifically, the bill mandates that the governing board of an institution must exempt any student employed as a paramedic by a political subdivision of the state who is enrolled in courses related to an emergency medical services curriculum. However, this exemption does not apply to deposits for property care, additional tuition charges for undergraduate students, or excess tuition for graduate students beyond a specified number of credit hours. Additionally, the exemption is contingent upon the student making satisfactory academic progress and does not apply to distance education courses with high enrollment.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is tasked with establishing rules for the implementation of this exemption, including eligibility criteria and the maximum number of distance education courses that can be excluded from the exemption. The provisions of this bill will take effect starting with the tuition and fees charged for the fall semester of 2025, while any fees charged prior to that will be governed by the existing law. The bill requires a two-thirds majority for immediate effect; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

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