SRC-AXB S.B. 1902 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1902
76R14717  KEL-DBy: Lucio
Veteran Affairs
5/7/1999
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas does not provide educational financial assistance for its
citizens who are former prisoners of war.  S.B. 1902 creates payment
exemptions and scholarships for certain former prisoners of war from Texas
who attend a public college or university. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1902 creates payment exemptions and scholarships for
certain former prisoners of war from Texas who attend a public college or
university. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Provides that this Act may be cited as the Steven
Gonzales-Prisoner of War Higher Education Act. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 54D, Education Code, by adding Section 54.219,
as follows: 

Sec.  54.219.  PRISONERS OF WAR.  Describes "tuition and required fees."
Requires the governing body of each institution of higher education
(authority) to exempt certain individuals from required tuition payments
for a maximum of 120 credit hours.  Requires the authority to exempt
certain individuals from the payment for campus lodging and board fees.
Requires the institution of higher education to provide a reasonable
stipend to cover the offcampus lodging and board costs of certain
individuals.  Requires the authority to award a scholarship to pay for
required course work supplies for certain individuals.  Authorizes an
institution of higher education to use any available revenue to accomplish
the purposes of this section and requires the institution to solicit and
accept gifts, grants, and donations. Requires the institution to use the
gifts, grants, and donations before using any other revenue to accomplish
the purposes of this section. 

SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 1999 fall
semester. 

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  upon passage.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 2.

Amends Section 54.219(e), Education Code, to require, rather than
authorize, an institution of higher education to solicit certain sources of
revenue, and adds text regarding the spending priority for the purposes of
this section.