H.B. No. 1527 proposes amendments to Section 54.3531 of the Education Code, focusing on tuition and fee exemptions for certain peace officers at public institutions of higher education. The bill stipulates that the governing board of an institution must exempt from tuition and laboratory fees any student enrolled in law enforcement-related degree programs, provided they are employed as peace officers, making satisfactory academic progress, hold a basic peace officer proficiency certificate, and apply for the exemption within a specified timeframe. The bill expands the definition of law enforcement-related degree programs to include various fields such as criminal justice, public administration, emergency management, and several others, including foreign languages and computer science.

The changes will take effect starting with the tuition and fees charged for the fall semester of 2025, while any fees charged before that will continue to be governed by the previous law. The bill requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses for immediate effect; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.3531 (Education Code 54)
House Committee Report: Education Code 54.3531 (Education Code 54)
Engrossed: Education Code 54.3531 (Education Code 54)