1-1     By:  Van de Putte, et al.                             H.B. No. 2061

 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Patterson)

 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 1997;

 1-4     May 12, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-5     Education; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-6     Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-8                                   AN ACT

 1-9     relating to requiring certain individuals to file a statement of

1-10     selective service status before receiving certain financial

1-11     assistance.

1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

1-14     amended by adding Section 51.9095 to read as follows:

1-15           Sec. 51.9095.  STUDENT COMPLIANCE WITH SELECTIVE SERVICE

1-16     REGISTRATION.  (a)  An individual may not receive a loan, grant,

1-17     scholarship, or other financial assistance funded by state revenue,

1-18     including federal funds or gifts and grants accepted by this state,

1-19     or receive a student loan guaranteed by this state or the Texas

1-20     Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, unless the individual files a

1-21     statement of the individual's selective service status with the

1-22     institution or other entity granting or guaranteeing the financial

1-23     assistance as required by this section.

1-24           (b)  If an individual required by this section to file a

1-25     statement of the individual's selective service status files a

1-26     statement indicating that the individual is registered with the

1-27     selective service system as required by federal law, the individual

1-28     is not required to file a statement of the individual's selective

1-29     service status the next time the individual makes an application to

1-30     the same entity for financial assistance or a student loan

1-31     guarantee.  If an individual required by this section to file a

1-32     statement of the  individual's selective service status files a

1-33     statement indicating that the individual is not required to

1-34     register with the selective service system, the institution or

1-35     other entity shall require the individual to file a new statement

1-36     of the individual's selective service status the next time the

1-37     individual makes an application to the entity for financial

1-38     assistance or a student loan guarantee.

1-39           (c)  This section does not apply to:

1-40                 (1)  a female individual if females are not subject to

1-41     general selective service registration under federal law; or

1-42                 (2)  an individual older than the maximum age at which

1-43     an individual is required to be registered with the selective

1-44     service system under federal law.

1-45           (d)  The statement of an individual's selective service

1-46     status required by this section must require the individual to

1-47     certify that the individual:

1-48                 (1)  has registered with the selective service system

1-49     as required by federal law; or

1-50                 (2)  is exempt from selective service  registration

1-51     under federal law.

1-52           (e)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall

1-53     adopt rules for the administration of this section and shall

1-54     prescribe the statement to be used under this section. The

1-55     coordinating board shall notify each institution of higher

1-56     education of the required statement and the applicable rules.  The

1-57     statement must require an individual claiming to be exempt from

1-58     registration to specify the basis of the exemption.  The

1-59     coordinating board may require an individual filing a statement of

1-60     selective service status to include with the statement any

1-61     additional information or documentation the coordinating board

1-62     determines appropriate.

1-63           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating

1-64     Board shall prescribe the statement of selective service status and

 2-1     adopt rules as required by Section 51.9095, Education Code, as

 2-2     added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

 2-3           (b)  The requirement that an individual file a statement of

 2-4     selective service status in accordance with Section 51.9095,

 2-5     Education Code, as added by this Act, takes effect January 1,

 2-6     1998.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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