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Free College Tuition For Texas Veterans To Continue

Texas House and Senate negotiators can't agree — and therefore won't change — a program offering free college tuition to veterans and their children, even amid concerns it's too expensive to be sustainable.

Sen. Brian Birdwell said Saturday there are "irreconcilable" differences on how to change the Hazlewoood Act.

Rep. John Zerwas said the chambers were "not going to get anywhere near agreement, so it's going to die."

The benefit offers veterans free tuition at Texas' public universities. In 2009, it was changed to allow veterans' children to use unused college credit hours, and costs have since ballooned.

The Senate proposed sweeping changes to eligibility and usage. But the House watered those down, so as not to harm veterans.

The legislative session will now end without the program being overhauled.

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