By Olivo H.R. No. 1265
76R17871 KKA-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State
1-2 of Texas, 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, That House Rule
1-3 13, Section 9(a), be suspended in part as provided by House Rule
1-4 13, Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed to
1-5 resolve the differences on House Bill No. 3470, relating to the
1-6 creation of a Parents as Scholars pilot program for certain persons
1-7 eligible to receive TANF benefits, to consider and take action on
1-8 the following matters:
1-9 (1) House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1), (2), and (4), are
1-10 suspended to permit the committee to omit text that is not in
1-11 disagreement, to change text that is not in disagreement, and to
1-12 add text on a matter that is not included in either the house or
1-13 senate version of the bill, so that added Section 31.045(a), Human
1-14 Resources Code, reads as follows:
1-15 (a) The department may by rule establish a student financial
1-16 aid pilot program, entitled the Parents as Scholars pilot program,
1-17 under which the department, with the cooperation of the Texas
1-18 Higher Education Coordinating Board, assists certain recipients of
1-19 financial assistance in obtaining student financial aid available
1-20 under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code. If the department
1-21 establishes the program, the department and the coordinating board
1-22 must comply with the requirements of this section.
1-23 Explanation: This change is necessary to reflect the
1-24 modification of the program from one in which a welfare recipient
2-1 receives student financial aid provided by the Texas Department of
2-2 Human Services in lieu of financial assistance under the Temporary
2-3 Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to a program in which
2-4 a welfare recipient is assisted by the department in obtaining
2-5 student financial aid available to the general population under
2-6 Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by H.B. No. 713,
2-7 Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. The new text
2-8 also makes a change by providing that the department is not
2-9 required to establish the program.
2-10 (2) House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1), (3), and (4), are
2-11 suspended to permit the committee to substitute "a program
2-12 participant meet" for "the person satisfy" and to add "at the time
2-13 that the person begins participation in the program" and "the
2-14 eligibility requirements for a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M,
2-15 Chapter 56, Education Code", so that added Section 31.045(b)(1),
2-16 Human Resources Code, reads as follows:
2-17 (1) require that a program participant meet:
2-18 (A) the eligibility criteria for financial
2-19 assistance at the time that the person begins participation in the
2-20 program; and
2-21 (B) the eligibility requirements for a TEXAS
2-22 grant under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code;
2-23 Explanation: This change is necessary to reflect the
2-24 requirement that a welfare recipient must comply with the
2-25 eligibility requirements under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education
2-26 Code, to be able to receive student financial aid under that
2-27 subchapter, and to reflect the fact that a welfare recipient
3-1 eligible under that subchapter may continue to receive student
3-2 financial aid after the person ceases receiving welfare. This
3-3 change also makes technical language changes to provide consistency
3-4 throughout the bill.
3-5 (3) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(2), is suspended to permit
3-6 the committee to omit text in added Section 31.045(b), Human
3-7 Resources Code, that is not in disagreement. The omitted text
3-8 reads as follows:
3-9 (2) prohibit a person who possesses a bachelor's
3-10 degree from any public or private institution of higher education
3-11 from participating in the program;
3-12 Explanation: This change is necessary because the omitted
3-13 language is no longer necessary. The requirement duplicates a
3-14 requirement contained in Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code,
3-15 as added by H.B. No. 713, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular
3-16 Session, 1999.
3-17 (4) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(1), is suspended to permit
3-18 the committee to change text that is not in disagreement by
3-19 substituting "program participant seek an undergraduate degree or
3-20 certificate" for "person seek a postsecondary degree" and by
3-21 substituting "participant's" for subsequent references to
3-22 "person's" in the subsection, so that added Section 31.045(b)(2),
3-23 Human Resources Code, reads as follows:
3-24 (2) require that the program participant seek an
3-25 undergraduate degree or certificate that the department, in
3-26 cooperation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
3-27 considers likely to improve the participant's ability to obtain
4-1 employment in the participant's local labor market; and
4-2 Explanation: This change is necessary to conform the
4-3 language of the bill to the language of Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
4-4 Education Code, as added by H.B. No. 713, Acts of the 76th
4-5 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999.
4-6 (5) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(1), is suspended to permit
4-7 the committee to change text that is not in disagreement by
4-8 substituting "program participants" for "persons" and by
4-9 substituting "undergraduate degree or certificate" for
4-10 "postsecondary degree" in added Section 31.045(b)(3), Human
4-11 Resources Code.
4-12 Explanation: This change is necessary for the reason stated
4-13 in Item (4) of this resolution.
4-14 (6) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(4), is suspended to permit
4-15 the committee to add text on a matter that is not included in
4-16 either the house or senate version of the bill. The added text
4-17 reads as follows:
4-18 (c) Under the program, the department shall:
4-19 (1) advise recipients of financial assistance of:
4-20 (A) the availability of financial aid under
4-21 Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, and the eligibility
4-22 requirements for that aid;
4-23 (B) the need for recipients who are high school
4-24 students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for
4-25 success beyond high school;
4-26 (C) sources of information on higher education
4-27 admissions and financial aid; and
5-1 (D) eligibility criteria and application
5-2 procedures for participation in the program; and
5-3 (2) assist a recipient chosen to participate in the
5-4 program in obtaining financial aid available under Subchapter M,
5-5 Chapter 56, Education Code.
5-6 (d) A program participant who obtains financial aid
5-7 available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, may
5-8 continue to receive financial aid as provided by that subchapter,
5-9 regardless of whether the participant ceases to receive financial
5-10 assistance.
5-11 (e) The department may cooperate with the Legislative
5-12 Oversight Committee under Section 56.311, Education Code, by
5-13 providing information relating to program participants receiving
5-14 financial aid under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, that
5-15 is necessary for the committee to perform its duty of monitoring
5-16 the financial aid programs established under that subchapter.
5-17 (f) The department and the Texas Higher Education
5-18 Coordinating Board shall jointly develop procedures necessary for
5-19 administration of the program, including procedures for:
5-20 (1) determining and monitoring a program participant's
5-21 initial and continuing eligibility for financial aid under
5-22 Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code;
5-23 (2) providing appropriate information to financial aid
5-24 officers of institutions of higher education; and
5-25 (3) exchanging all necessary information between the
5-26 department and the coordinating board, including copies of rules
5-27 adopted by the coordinating board relating to the administration of
6-1 the financial aid programs under Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
6-2 Education Code.
6-3 . . .
6-4 (h) This section takes effect only if H.B. 713, Acts of the
6-5 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is enacted and becomes
6-6 law. If this section takes effect, it expires September 1, 2003.
6-7 Explanation: This change is necessary to reflect the
6-8 modification of the program, as described in Item (1) of this
6-9 resolution.
6-10 (7) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(2), is suspended to permit
6-11 the committee to omit text that is not in disagreement. The
6-12 omitted text reads as follows:
6-13 (e) The department shall fund the program from state funds
6-14 specifically appropriated for that purpose or from other state
6-15 funds otherwise available to the department for the program. The
6-16 department may accept gifts and grants from public or private
6-17 sources to be used to fund the program. The department shall
6-18 establish and administer the program in such a manner that money
6-19 spent under the program is included in determining the state's
6-20 compliance with federal maintenance of effort requirements under
6-21 Part A, Title IV, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 601 et
6-22 seq.).
6-23 Explanation: This change is necessary because the omitted
6-24 language is no longer necessary. As a result of the modification
6-25 of the program, as described in Item (1) of this resolution, the
6-26 student financial aid will be provided under Subchapter M, Chapter
6-27 56, Education Code, as added by H.B. 713, Acts of the 76th
7-1 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, and the reference to federal
7-2 maintenance of efforts requirements is not appropriate in that
7-3 context.
7-4 (8) House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(1), is suspended to permit
7-5 the committee to change text that is not in disagreement in added
7-6 Section 31.045(g), Human Resources Code, by substituting "2001" for
7-7 "2003" and by substituting "financial assistance" for "Temporary
7-8 Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits".
7-9 Explanation: This change is necessary to provide for an
7-10 earlier date by which the Texas Department of Human Services must
7-11 submit a report concerning the program and to provide for
7-12 consistent use of terminology in the bill.