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Senate approves measure clarifying in‑state tuition eligibility for ROTC and senior military college cadets
Summary
The Texas Senate passed House Bill 5646 to require public institutions to grant in‑state tuition to students who are active and in good standing in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs or corps cadets at senior military colleges and adopted an amendment to encourage admissions consideration of a student’s intent to enlist.
The Texas Senate on the floor passed House Bill 5646, clarifying that public institutions of higher education must grant in‑state tuition to students who are active and in good standing in ROTC programs or corps cadets at senior military colleges, Senate sponsor Senator Hall said.
Supporters said the bill fills an eligibility gap for students who serve in military programs while enrolled. An amendment adopted on the floor directs institutions to treat an applicant’s intent to enlist or enroll in a cadet program as a positive factor in admissions decisions.
Senator Hall, who presented the bill on the floor, described the change as strengthening “Texas’ long standing commitment to developing future military leaders and expanding access to higher education for students with a desire to serve in the military.” He moved adoption of a floor amendment that would add a provision to the Education Code to have senior military colleges and other institutions that maintain corps cadets consider an applicant’s intent to enlist as a positive admissions factor. The amendment was adopted without objection.
Senate action included suspending the regular order and the constitutional three‑day rule to move the bill through readings. The Senate recorded 29 ayes and 2 nays on the motion to suspend the three‑day rule and later recorded final passage with 30 ayes and 1 nay.
The measure as passed by the Senate clarifies tuition eligibility and adds the admissions‑consideration amendment; it does not itself change institutional admissions authority beyond the positive‑factor direction added to the Education Code. The Senate’s passage sends the Senate version of the bill forward in the legislative process.
