By Van de Putte, et al.                               H.B. No. 2061

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to requiring certain individuals to file a statement of

 1-3     selective service status before receiving certain financial

 1-4     assistance.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Section 51.9095 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 51.9095.  STUDENT COMPLIANCE WITH SELECTIVE SERVICE

 1-9     REGISTRATION.  (a)  An individual may not receive a loan, grant,

1-10     scholarship, or other financial assistance funded by state revenue,

1-11     including federal funds or gifts and grants accepted by this state,

1-12     or receive a student loan guaranteed by this state or the Texas

1-13     Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, unless the individual files a

1-14     statement of the individual's selective service status with the

1-15     institution or other entity granting or guaranteeing the financial

1-16     assistance as required by this section.

1-17           (b)  If an individual required by this section to file a

1-18     statement of the individual's selective service status files a

1-19     statement indicating that the individual is registered with the

1-20     selective service system as required by federal law, the individual

1-21     is not required to file a statement of the individual's selective

1-22     service status the next time the individual makes an application to

1-23     the same entity for financial assistance or a student loan

1-24     guarantee.  If an individual required by this section to file a

 2-1     statement of the  individual's selective service status files a

 2-2     statement indicating that the individual is not required to

 2-3     register with the selective service system, the institution or

 2-4     other entity shall require the individual to file a new statement

 2-5     of the individual's selective service status the next time the

 2-6     individual makes an application to the entity for financial

 2-7     assistance or a student loan guarantee.

 2-8           (c)  This section does not apply to:

 2-9                 (1)  a female individual if females are not subject to

2-10     general selective service registration under federal law; or

2-11                 (2)  an individual older than the maximum age at which

2-12     an individual is required to be registered with the selective

2-13     service system under federal law.

2-14           (d)  The statement of an individual's selective service

2-15     status required by this section must require the individual to

2-16     certify that the individual:

2-17                 (1)  has registered with the selective service system

2-18     as required by federal law; or

2-19                 (2)  is exempt from selective service  registration

2-20     under federal law.

2-21           (e)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall

2-22     adopt rules for the administration of this section and shall

2-23     prescribe the statement to be used under this section. The

2-24     coordinating board shall notify each institution of higher

2-25     education of the required statement and the applicable rules.  The

2-26     statement must require an individual claiming to be exempt from

2-27     registration to specify the basis of the exemption.  The

 3-1     coordinating board may require an individual filing a statement of

 3-2     selective service status to include with the statement any

 3-3     additional information or documentation the coordinating board

 3-4     determines appropriate.

 3-5           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating

 3-6     Board shall prescribe the statement of selective service status and

 3-7     adopt rules as required by Section 51.9095, Education Code, as

 3-8     added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

 3-9           (b)  The requirement that an individual file a statement of

3-10     selective service status in accordance with Section 51.9095,

3-11     Education Code, as added by this Act, takes effect January 1,

3-12     1998.

3-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.