The bill, H.B. No. 2848, proposes an exemption from or refund of tuition and fees for certain lower-division students enrolled at Texas Southern University or Prairie View A&M University. It introduces a new section, 54.220, to the Education Code, which allows entering freshman students who graduated from a Texas high school (public or private, including home schools), are classified as Texas residents, and achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 during their first semester to receive a refund of tuition and required fees. Additionally, students may be exempt from tuition and fees for the first two academic years, provided they maintain the same GPA and meet the residency requirement.

The bill also stipulates that students receiving exemptions must pass an examination before enrolling in their third academic year. Funding for these refunds and exemptions can come from local or appropriated funds, but universities are not mandated to provide additional refunds beyond state appropriations. Importantly, the bill specifies that no refunds or exemptions will be available for semesters starting after the 2044-2045 academic year, with the section set to expire on September 1, 2046. The provisions of this act will apply starting with the 2025 fall semester and will take effect immediately if passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

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