By: Ellis S.R. No. 1089 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-1 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 76th 1-2 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, That Senate Rule 12.03 is 1-3 suspended in part, as provided by Senate Rule 12.08, to enable the 1-4 conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on House 1-5 Bill No. 713, relating to the establishment and operation of the 1-6 Toward EXcellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) grant program and the 1-7 Teach for Texas grant program; consolidating and revising financial 1-8 aid, grant, and scholarship programs; and providing for the 1-9 education, certification, and recruitment of teachers and faculty 1-10 instructors, to consider and take action on the following matters: 1-11 (1) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 1-12 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 1-13 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in 1-14 added Sections 56.304 and 56.305, Education Code, to read as 1-15 follows: 1-16 (Sec. 56.304) 1-17 (h) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a 1-18 person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, in the 1-19 event of a hardship or for other good cause shown, including a 1-20 showing of a severe illness or other debilitating condition that 1-21 may affect the person's academic performance or that the person is 1-22 responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and 1-23 that the person's provision of care may affect the person's 1-24 academic performance, to receive a TEXAS grant while enrolled in a 2-1 number of semester credit hours that is less than the number of 2-2 semester credit hours required under Subsection (a)(5). The 2-3 coordinating board may not allow a person to receive a TEXAS grant 2-4 while enrolled in fewer than six semester credit hours. 2-5 (Sec. 56.305) 2-6 (g) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a 2-7 person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, in the 2-8 event of a hardship or for other good cause shown, including a 2-9 showing of a severe illness or other debilitating condition that 2-10 may affect the person's academic performance or that the person is 2-11 responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and 2-12 that the person's provision of care may affect the person's 2-13 academic performance, to receive a TEXAS grant while enrolled in a 2-14 number of semester credit hours that is less than the number of 2-15 semester credit hours required under Subsection (a)(3). The 2-16 coordinating board may not allow a person to receive a TEXAS grant 2-17 while enrolled in fewer than six semester credit hours. 2-18 Explanation: This change is needed to allow the Texas Higher 2-19 Education Coordinating Board to adopt rules to allow a student 2-20 receiving a TEXAS grant to register for a reduced number of 2-21 semester credit hours in the event of a hardship or for good cause 2-22 shown. 2-23 (2) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 2-24 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 2-25 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in 2-26 added Section 56.305, Education Code, to read as follows: 3-1 (f) A person who is eligible to receive a TEXAS grant 3-2 continues to remain eligible to receive the TEXAS grant if the 3-3 person enrolls in or transfers to another eligible institution. 3-4 Explanation: This change is needed to allow a student 3-5 receiving a TEXAS grant to enroll in or transfer to another 3-6 institution other than the institution the student originally 3-7 attended. 3-8 (3) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 3-9 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 3-10 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in 3-11 added Section 56.307, Education Code, to read as follows: 3-12 (h) The total amount of grants that a student may receive in 3-13 an academic year under this subchapter and under Section 61.221 may 3-14 not exceed the maximum amount authorized under Section 61.227. 3-15 (i) A public institution of higher education may not: 3-16 (1) charge a person attending the institution who also 3-17 receives a TEXAS grant an amount of tuition and required fees in 3-18 excess of the amount of the TEXAS grant received by the person; or 3-19 (2) deny admission to or enrollment in the institution 3-20 based on a person's eligibility to receive a TEXAS grant or a 3-21 person's receipt of a TEXAS grant. 3-22 (j) An institution may use other available sources of 3-23 financial aid, other than a loan or a Pell grant, to cover any 3-24 difference in the amount of a TEXAS grant and the actual amount of 3-25 tuition and required fees at the institution. 3-26 (k) The legislature in an appropriations act shall account 4-1 for tuition and required fees received under this section in a way 4-2 that does not increase the general revenue appropriations to that 4-3 institution. 4-4 Explanation: This change is needed to set a maximum amount 4-5 that certain students may receive under the TEXAS grant program, to 4-6 restrict the amounts of tuition and fees an institution of higher 4-7 education may receive from a TEXAS grant recipient and from other 4-8 sources, to clarify actions an institution may take with regard to 4-9 TEXAS grant recipients, and to specify the effect of the grants on 4-10 general revenue appropriations. 4-11 (4) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 4-12 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 4-13 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in 4-14 added Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, to read as follows: 4-15 Sec. 56.311. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The 4-16 Legislative Oversight Committee on the TEXAS and Teach for Texas 4-17 grant programs established by this subchapter is composed of six 4-18 members as follows: 4-19 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the 4-20 lieutenant governor; and 4-21 (2) three members of the house of representatives 4-22 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. 4-23 (b) The committee shall: 4-24 (1) meet at least twice a year with the coordinating 4-25 board; and 4-26 (2) receive information regarding rules relating to 5-1 the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs established by this 5-2 subchapter that have been adopted by the coordinating board or 5-3 proposed for adoption by the coordinating board. 5-4 (c) The committee may request reports and other information 5-5 from the coordinating board relating to the operation of the TEXAS 5-6 and Teach for Texas grant programs under this subchapter by the 5-7 coordinating board. 5-8 (d) The committee shall review the specific recommendations 5-9 for legislation related to this subchapter that are proposed by the 5-10 coordinating board. 5-11 (e) The committee shall monitor the operation of the TEXAS 5-12 and Teach for Texas grant programs established under this 5-13 subchapter, with emphasis on the manner of the award of grants, the 5-14 number of grants awarded, and the educational progress made by 5-15 persons who have received grants under this subchapter. 5-16 (f) The committee shall file a report with the governor, 5-17 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives 5-18 not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year. 5-19 (g) The report shall include identification of any problems 5-20 in the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs operated under this 5-21 subchapter with recommended solutions for the coordinating board 5-22 and for legislative action. 5-23 Explanation: This change is needed to create a legislative 5-24 oversight committee to oversee the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant 5-25 programs. 5-26 (5) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 6-1 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 6-2 house or senate version of the bill, to read as follows: 6-3 SECTION 11. Sections 54.215 and . . . , Education Code, are 6-4 repealed. 6-5 SECTION 15. A person receiving a scholarship or other 6-6 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216, Education 6-7 Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, on the effective 6-8 date of this Act may continue to receive a scholarship or other 6-9 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216 or under 6-10 Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, as applicable to the 6-11 person on the effective date, until the person is no longer 6-12 eligible for the scholarship or other assistance under Section 6-13 54.215 or 54.216, Education Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56, 6-14 Education Code, as the applicable section or subchapter exists on 6-15 January 1, 1999. The costs of the scholarships or other financial 6-16 assistance authorized under this section shall be covered by the 6-17 TEXAS grant program established by Subchapter M, Chapter 56, 6-18 Education Code, as added by this Act. 6-19 Explanation: This change is needed to abolish the student 6-20 financial assistance program for certain National Guard/ROTC 6-21 students and to allow current National Guard/ROTC students to 6-22 continue to receive assistance. 6-23 (6) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit 6-24 the committee to add additional text not included in either the 6-25 house or senate version of the bill, to read as follows: 6-26 SECTION 17. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating 7-1 Board shall review and study the effect of the TEXAS grant program 7-2 and the Teach for Texas grant program established by Subchapter M, 7-3 Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, on enrollments at 7-4 institutions of higher education. The study shall determine 7-5 whether there have been shifts in enrollments between universities 7-6 and community colleges and whether those shifts were caused by the 7-7 different grant amounts awarded to students at each institution. 7-8 The report shall make recommendations for legislative changes to 7-9 the methodology for calculating the amount of the grant awards, if 7-10 needed. 7-11 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 7-12 report its findings to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the 7-13 speaker of the house of representatives, the presiding officer of 7-14 each legislative committee with oversight responsibilities for 7-15 higher education institutions, and the legislative oversight 7-16 committee established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education 7-17 Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2000. 7-18 Explanation: This change is needed to allow the Texas Higher 7-19 Education Coordinating Board to study and review the effects of the 7-20 TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program on 7-21 enrollments at institutions of higher education. 7-22 ______________________________________ 7-23 President of the Senate 7-24 I hereby certify that the above 7-25 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 7-26 on May 25, 1999, by the following vote: 7-27 Yeas 30, Nays 0. 7-28 ______________________________________ 7-29 Secretary of the Senate