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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an exemption for current and former members of the armed |
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services from the requirement that an incoming student at a public |
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or private or independent institution of higher education show |
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proof of vaccination against bacterial meningitis. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.9192, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d-7) and (d-8) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d) or (d-7), a student |
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to whom this section applies or a parent or guardian of the student |
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must provide to the institution, at the time and in the manner |
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prescribed by rules adopted by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board, a certificate signed by a health practitioner |
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or an official immunization record evidencing that the student has |
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received a bacterial meningitis vaccination dose or booster during |
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the five-year period preceding the date established by the |
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coordinating board under Subsection (e). |
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(d-7) A student to whom this section applies is not required |
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to comply with Subsection (c) if the student submits to the |
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appropriate admitting official of the institution, at the time and |
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in the manner prescribed by rules adopted by the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board: |
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(1) an affidavit confirming the student's current or |
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former service as a member of the armed forces of the United States; |
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or |
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(2) the student's valid military identification card. |
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(d-8) An institution of higher education or private or |
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independent institution of higher education may develop and |
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implement a secure, Internet-based process to be used for an |
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entering student to submit the information described by Subsection |
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(d-7) online. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules required by Section 51.9192(d-7), Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable following the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with entering students enrolling in public or private or |
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independent institutions of higher education in this state on or |
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after January 1, 2018. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |