The bill amends Section 54.3531 of the Education Code to provide tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain peace officers. Specifically, it allows for the exemption of tuition and laboratory fees for students who are employed as peace officers, enrolled in law enforcement-related degree programs, making satisfactory academic progress, and who apply for the exemption in a timely manner. The bill removes the requirement that the student must be enrolled in a "criminal justice or law enforcement" course and instead specifies that the law enforcement-related degree program can include a variety of fields such as criminal justice, political science, emergency management, nursing, and computer science, among others.

Additionally, the bill establishes that the amended provisions will apply starting with the tuition and fees charged for the fall semester of 2025, while fees charged for academic periods prior to that will continue to be governed by the previous law. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.3531 (Education Code 54)