MMA C.S.H.B. 2010 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS HIGHER EDUCATION C.S.H.B. 2010 By: Wilson 4-12-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, an institution of higher education can award a scholarship, grant, or other financial assistance to a student on the basis of the student's status as an athlete. Some scholarships and awards have certain restrictions the recipient must fulfill, however there are no statewide standards that require a certain level of academic achievement to be maintained. In light of recent court decisions emphasizing academic merit, it is fitting that a student be awarded scholarships and other forms of financial assistance contingent upon their continued academic excellence. PURPOSE C.S.H.B. 2010 would place certain restrictions on awarding scholarships, grants or other financial assistance on the basis of the student being a student athlete. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, to read as follows: Sec. 56.004. ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP RESTRICTIONS. (a) Permits an institution of higher education to award a student a state funded scholarship, grant or other financial assistance on the basis of the student's status as a student athlete only if: (1) an entering freshman's high school grade point average (GPA) is equal to or greater than the average high school GPA of all entering freshman students of the preceding academic year; (2) a student other than a freshman, has a cumulative college-level GPA equal to or greater than the average cumulative college-level GPA of all undergraduate students enrolled at the institution the previous academic year. (b) Mandates that a scholarship, grant or other financial assistance be contingent upon the student's compliance with Subsection (a) in each academic year for which they receive the financial aid. (c) Defines "student athlete." SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1997. Only applies to a scholarship or other financial aid awarded before or on the effective date. (b) Exempts scholarships or other financial aid awarded or promised before the effective date. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 2010 amends the caption to read "relating to restrictions on the extension of athletic scholarships or similar financial assistance at public institutions of higher education." H.B. 2010 prohibited an institution from awarding state funded scholarships, grants or other financial aid on the basis of the student's status as a student athlete. C.S.H.B. 2010 instead of prohibiting these awards, places certain academic restrictions that a student must comply with each time they are to receive an award. C.S.H.B. 2010 also makes conforming changes to the section title and to the subsection sequencing.