H.B. No. 1527 proposes amendments to Section 54.3531 of the Education Code, focusing on tuition and fee exemptions for certain peace officers enrolled in public institutions of higher education. The bill stipulates that the governing board of an institution must exempt from tuition and laboratory fees any student who is a peace officer, enrolled in a law enforcement-related degree program, making satisfactory academic progress, holds a basic peace officer proficiency certificate, and applies for the exemption at least one week before the registration period ends. The bill also expands the definition of a law enforcement-related degree program 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 academic periods prior to that will continue to be governed by the existing 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)