HBA-NMO, NLM H.B. 3470 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3470 By: Olivo Human Services 10/28/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The State of Maine created the Parents as Scholars Program to assist low income parents who qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in obtaining a postsecondary degree. Prior the 76th Legislature, no incentive programs such as the Parents as Scholars Program existed in Texas. H.B. 3470 requires the Texas Department of Human Services (department), by rule, to establish a student financial aid pilot program to be entitled the Parents as Scholars pilot program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Department of Human Services in SECTION 1 (Section 31.045, Human Resources Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 31.045, as follows: Sec. 31.045. PARENTS AS SCHOLARS PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Authorizes the Texas Department of Human Services (department), by rule, to establish a student financial aid pilot program, entitled the Parents as Scholars pilot program, under which the department, with the cooperation of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (coordinating board), assists certain recipients of financial assistance in obtaining student financial aid available under Subchapter M (Toward Excellence, Access, & Success (Texas) Grant Program and Teach for Texas Grant Program), Chapter 56 (Student Financial Assistance), Education Code. Provides that the department and the coordinating board, if the department establishes the program, must comply with the requirements of this section. (b) Requires the department, by rule, to establish the eligibility criteria set forth in this subsection. (c) Requires the department, under the program, to advise recipients of financial assistance of certain information regarding financial assistance, higher education, and the program, and to assist a recipient chosen to participate in the program in obtaining financial aid available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code. (d) Authorizes a program participant who obtains financial aid available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, to continue to receive financial aid as provided by that subchapter, regardless of whether the participant ceases to receive financial assistance. (e) Authorizes the department to cooperate with the Legislative Oversight Committee by providing information relating to program participants receiving financial aid under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, that is necessary for the committee to perform its duty of monitoring the financial aid programs established under that subchapter. (f) Requires the department and the coordinating board to jointly develop procedures necessary for the administration of the program. Specifies procedures for certain actions. (g) Requires the department, not later than January 15, 2001, to submit to the legislature a report relating to the program established under this section. Sets forth required contents of the report. (h) Provides that this section takes effect only if H.B. 713, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is enacted and becomes law. Provides that this section, if it takes effect, expires September 1, 2003. SECTION 2. Requires a state agency, if before implementing any provision of this Act the state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, to request the waiver or authorization, and authorizes the state agency to delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.