The bill amends Section 54.3531 of the Education Code to provide tuition and laboratory fee exemptions for certain peace officers enrolled in law enforcement-related degree programs at public institutions of higher education. The amendments include the removal of references to "criminal justice or law enforcement" courses and instead specify that the exemption applies to students who are peace officers, are making satisfactory academic progress, and apply for the exemption within a specified timeframe. Additionally, a new subsection is added to define what constitutes a law enforcement-related degree program, which now includes a variety of fields such as criminal justice, political science, emergency management, nursing, and computer science, among others.

The changes will take effect starting with the tuition and fees charged for the fall semester of 2025, while any fees charged for 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)