Texas House bill by Rep. Cole exempts paramedics from tuition and lab fees in EMS courses

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Sheryl Cole seeks to reduce educational costs for paramedics by exempting them from tuition and lab fees in EMS courses, aiming to support their professional development, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 62 Democrats and 68 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 15 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 18 Republicans voted in favor, while two Republicans voted against it.

Sheryl Cole introduced the bill in the Texas House on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, ahead of the official start of the 89th regular legislative session on Jan. 14, 2025.

Cole graduated from the University of Texas with a BA.

Cole, a Democrat, was elected to the Texas State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 46th House district, replacing previous state representative Dawnna Dukes.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to the exemption of tuition and laboratory fees at public institutions of higher education for certain paramedics’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to exempt paramedics employed by political subdivisions in Texas from paying tuition and laboratory fees when enrolled in emergency medical services courses at public institutions of higher education. The exemption requires satisfactory academic progress and is subject to limitations on additional tuition for undergraduates and excess tuition for graduate students. Courses offered solely via distance education are also restricted, with a cap on applicable students. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will establish rules for eligibility, certification, and program listings. The act takes effect immediately with necessary legislative approval or on Sept. 1, 2025, and applies starting with the 2025 fall semester.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Nicole Collier (Democrat – District 95), Rep. James Frank (Republican – District 69), and Rep. Will Metcalf (Republican – District 16), along with 12 other authors.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Tuesday, May 27, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.