By Gutierrez H.B. No. 454
76R1244 CAG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of the Texas Literacy Pilot Program
1-3 to exempt certain students from tuition and fees at eligible
1-4 institutions of higher education.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-7 Subchapter M to read as follows:
1-8 SUBCHAPTER M. TEXAS LITERACY PILOT PROGRAM
1-9 Sec. 56.251. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "Eligible institution" means a general academic
1-11 teaching institution, a public junior college, or a public
1-12 technical institute as defined by Section 61.003.
1-13 (2) "Eligible literacy program" means a program
1-14 operated by a governmental entity or a nonprofit community
1-15 organization or agency that offers literacy tutoring to teenagers
1-16 or adults.
1-17 Sec. 56.252. PROGRAM NAME; PURPOSE. (a) The student
1-18 financial assistance program operated under this subchapter shall
1-19 be known as the Texas Literacy Pilot Program.
1-20 (b) The purpose of this subchapter is to increase the number
1-21 of literate citizens in this state by providing an exemption from
1-22 tuition and fees for college and vocational students working as
1-23 volunteer tutors in eligible literacy programs.
1-24 Sec. 56.253. COORDINATING BOARD AUTHORITY. The Texas Higher
2-1 Education Coordinating Board shall administer the Texas Literacy
2-2 Pilot Program. The coordinating board shall work with eligible
2-3 literacy programs and eligible institutions to provide eligible
2-4 students with tuition and fee exemptions under this subchapter.
2-5 Sec. 56.254. ELIGIBLE LITERACY PROGRAM. To participate in
2-6 the pilot program under this subchapter, an eligible literacy
2-7 program must:
2-8 (1) apply to the coordinating board, using a form
2-9 developed and distributed by the board;
2-10 (2) keep an accurate record of the number of hours
2-11 worked by participating students as tutors;
2-12 (3) notify the coordinating board, on the completion
2-13 of any tutoring requirements, that a student is eligible to receive
2-14 a tuition and fee exemption;
2-15 (4) provide a certificate of eligibility to a student
2-16 who completes any tutoring requirements; and
2-17 (5) provide annually to the coordinating board a
2-18 report evaluating the impact of the pilot program.
2-19 Sec. 56.255. ELIGIBLE STUDENT. (a) To participate in the
2-20 pilot program, a student must:
2-21 (1) be evaluated by an eligible literacy program and
2-22 determined to be qualified to provide tutoring to teenagers or
2-23 adults; and
2-24 (2) meet the entrance and academic progress
2-25 requirements of the eligible institution at which the exemption is
2-26 used.
2-27 (b) Preference in selecting students to participate in the
3-1 pilot program shall be given to a student enrolled in an eligible
3-2 institution who also provides documentation from the student's
3-3 institution that the student has a demonstrated financial need.
3-4 Sec. 56.256. SELECTION OF LITERACY PROGRAMS TO PARTICIPATE.
3-5 In selecting an eligible literacy program to participate in the
3-6 pilot program, the coordinating board shall consider:
3-7 (1) statistics provided by the literacy program
3-8 regarding the literacy challenges facing the community to which the
3-9 literacy program will provide services;
3-10 (2) the literacy program's current and preceding
3-11 year's efforts to provide literacy training to the community to
3-12 which the literacy program will provide services; and
3-13 (3) the plans of the literacy program to advertise the
3-14 tuition and fee exemptions authorized by this subchapter and to
3-15 attract tutors to participate in the pilot program.
3-16 Sec. 56.257. EXEMPTIONS. (a) A student enrolled in a
3-17 public junior college or public technical institute is entitled to
3-18 a $500 exemption from the payment of tuition and fees if the
3-19 student completes 50 hours of tutoring.
3-20 (b) A student enrolled in a general academic teaching
3-21 institution is entitled to a $1,000 exemption from the payment of
3-22 tuition and fees if the student completes 100 hours of tutoring.
3-23 (c) The maximum cumulative amount of exemptions a student
3-24 may receive under this subchapter is $1,000.
3-25 (d) A student who completes fewer hours of tutoring than the
3-26 number of hours specified by Subsection (a) or (b) may not receive
3-27 an exemption under this subchapter.
4-1 Sec. 56.258. GRANTING OF EXEMPTIONS. (a) When a student
4-2 becomes eligible for a tuition and fee exemption under Section
4-3 56.257, the eligible literacy program shall provide the student
4-4 with a certificate indicating the number of hours of tutoring
4-5 completed. The certificate must be on a form prescribed by the
4-6 coordinating board.
4-7 (b) The eligible literacy program shall report to the
4-8 coordinating board:
4-9 (1) the name of the student; and
4-10 (2) the number of hours of tutoring the student has
4-11 completed.
4-12 (c) To receive an exemption from tuition and fees, the
4-13 student must provide the certificate to the eligible institution at
4-14 which the student is enrolled. The institution shall exempt the
4-15 student from the amount of tuition and fees for which the student
4-16 is eligible.
4-17 (d) At least once a year, an eligible institution shall
4-18 report to the coordinating board:
4-19 (1) the name of each student who received a tuition
4-20 and fee exemption under this subchapter; and
4-21 (2) the amount of each student's tuition and fee
4-22 exemption.
4-23 (e) On receipt of the report from an eligible institution,
4-24 the coordinating board shall verify that the student has completed
4-25 any requirements necessary for the award of an exemption.
4-26 (f) The coordinating board shall reimburse the eligible
4-27 institution for the amount of the tuition and fee exemptions
5-1 reported under Subsection (d).
5-2 Sec. 56.259. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board may
5-3 accept gifts and grants from a public or private source for the
5-4 pilot program.
5-5 (b) Gifts, grants, and funds appropriated by the legislature
5-6 for this purpose may be used for the pilot program.
5-7 Sec. 56.260. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt
5-8 rules to implement and administer the pilot program.
5-9 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
5-10 (b) A student may not be granted a tuition and fee exemption
5-11 under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this
5-12 Act, before the spring semester of 2000.
5-13 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.