By Maxey H.B. No. 2055
75R2761 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to prepaid higher education tuition scholarships for needy
1-3 students.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 54.633(a)-(d), Education Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) To the extent money is available, the board may award a
1-8 prepaid higher education tuition scholarship to a student who meets
1-9 economic and academic requirements adopted by the board by rule
1-10 and, if the scholarship is designated for a specific use or purpose
1-11 or use under Subsection (c), who meets the guidelines established
1-12 for the award of the scholarship.
1-13 (b) A scholarship awarded under this section terminates if
1-14 the student to whom the scholarship is awarded is:
1-15 (1) convicted of, or adjudicated as having engaged in
1-16 delinquent conduct constituting, an offense under Chapter 481,
1-17 Health and Safety Code; [or]
1-18 (2) convicted of, or adjudicated as having engaged in
1-19 delinquent conduct constituting, a felony or Class A misdemeanor;
1-20 or
1-21 (3) determined by the board to have violated a
1-22 condition placed on the scholarship.
1-23 (c) The board shall:
1-24 (1) establish guidelines for receiving money from the
2-1 private sector, including guidelines for accepting contributions
2-2 subject to an agreement with the contributor that the funds be used
2-3 for a scholarship awarded for a specific use or purpose or subject
2-4 to conditions placed on the award of the scholarship, including the
2-5 satisfaction of academic, economic, or other requirements;
2-6 (2) establish guidelines for awarding scholarships,
2-7 including awarding scholarships for a specific use or purpose; and
2-8 (3) ensure that each region of the state is equitably
2-9 represented in the awarding of scholarships under this section
2-10 other than scholarships awarded for a specific use or purpose or
2-11 subject to special conditions.
2-12 (d) Scholarships under this section may be [are] funded by:
2-13 (1) the private sector;
2-14 (2) public funds, if public funds are appropriated
2-15 for that purpose, including funds that may be used for matching
2-16 grants; or
2-17 (3) any combination of public and private funds.
2-18 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-19 (b) The Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board shall adopt
2-20 guidelines for receiving money from the private sector and for
2-21 awarding scholarships for a specific use or purpose not later than
2-22 January 1, 1998.
2-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.