H.B. No. 1590

relating to the establishment of the Texas Leadership Scholars Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter T-3 to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER T-3. TEXAS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Sec. 61.891. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Leadership scholarship" means a scholarship awarded to an undergraduate student under the program.

(2) "Program" means the Texas Leadership Scholars Program established under this subchapter.

(3) "Research scholarship" means a scholarship awarded to a graduate student under the program.

Sec. 61.892. ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The Texas Leadership Scholars Program is established to serve as a merit-based scholarship and leadership opportunity program for high-achieving, emerging leaders with financial need.

(b) Using money appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall award scholarships and provide academic achievement support and leadership development to eligible students under the program.

(c) The board shall administer the program. The board may contract with one or more institutions of higher education to assist in administering the program, including receiving and reviewing applications, recommending the distribution of funds to institutions of higher education, and developing criteria for the selection of students for the program.

(d) The board may establish one or more advisory committees for the purpose of recommending rules for the administration of the program.

Sec. 61.893. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be initially eligible for the award of a leadership scholarship, an undergraduate student must:

(1) have graduated from a public high school in this state;

(2) either:

(A) have qualified for automatic admission to a general academic teaching institution under Section 51.803; or

(B) be nominated by the student's high school for participation in the program and hold another academic distinction recognized by the board;

(3) be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a general academic teaching institution;

(4) be economically disadvantaged, as determined by board rule; and

(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by the board.

(b) To be initially eligible for the award of a research scholarship, a graduate student must:

(1) be enrolled in a research doctoral degree program at a general academic teaching institution;

(2) either:

(A) have graduated from a public high school in this state during the 10 years preceding the date of the student's application to the program; or

(B) have graduated from an institution of higher education or a private or independent institution of higher education;

(3) be economically disadvantaged, as determined by board rule;

(4) be nominated by the institution at which the student is enrolled on the basis of the student's academic merit and leadership potential; and

(5) comply with any additional requirements adopted by the board.

Sec. 61.894. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. After establishing initial eligibility to participate in the program under Section 61.893, a student may continue participating in the program only if the student:

(1) remains:

(A) for a leadership scholarship, enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a general academic teaching institution; or

(B) for a research scholarship, enrolled in a research doctoral degree program at a general academic teaching institution;

(2) maintains a minimum overall grade point average determined by board rule; and

(3) complies with any additional requirement adopted by the board.

Sec. 61.895. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. The board may enter into agreements with general academic teaching institutions or other institutions of higher education to provide students participating in the program with:

(1) research-based support to make satisfactory academic progress and graduate on time; and

(2) leadership development opportunities, including:

(A) program cohort learning communities;

(B) mentoring, research, and internship opportunities;

(C) networking with state government, business, and civic leaders; and

(D) statewide cohort learning institutes or seminars.

Sec. 61.896. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of the program.

Sec. 61.897. RULES. (a) The board, in consultation with general academic teaching institutions, shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, including rules providing for the amount and permissible uses of a scholarship awarded under the program. The rules must provide that:

(1) the amount of a research scholarship is at least 150 percent of the amount of a leadership scholarship; and

(2) a student may not receive a scholarship under the program for more than four years.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 61.033, the board is not required to use negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code, for the adoption of rules under this subchapter.

SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-3, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1590 was passed by the House on April 13, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 21, 2 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1590 on May 25, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 120, Nays 19, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1590 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 23, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor