By Ellis S.R. No. 1089
76R17440 CAG-D
R E S O L U T I O N
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:
2-27 (f) A person who is eligible to receive a TEXAS grant
3-1 continues to remain eligible to receive the TEXAS grant if the
3-2 person enrolls in or transfers to another eligible institution.
3-3 Explanation: This change is needed to allow a student
3-4 receiving a TEXAS grant to enroll in or transfer to another
3-5 institution other than the institution the student originally
3-6 attended.
3-7 (3) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit
3-8 the committee to add additional text not included in either the
3-9 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in
3-10 added Section 56.307, Education Code, to read as follows:
3-11 (h) The total amount of grants that a student may receive in
3-12 an academic year under this subchapter and under Section 61.221 may
3-13 not exceed the maximum amount authorized under Section 61.227.
3-14 (i) A public institution of higher education may not:
3-15 (1) charge a person attending the institution who also
3-16 receives a TEXAS grant an amount of tuition and required fees in
3-17 excess of the amount of the TEXAS grant received by the person; or
3-18 (2) deny admission to or enrollment in the institution
3-19 based on a person's eligibility to receive a TEXAS grant or a
3-20 person's receipt of a TEXAS grant.
3-21 (j) An institution may use other available sources of
3-22 financial aid, other than a loan or a Pell grant, to cover any
3-23 difference in the amount of a TEXAS grant and the actual amount of
3-24 tuition and required fees at the institution.
3-25 (k) The legislature in an appropriations act shall account
3-26 for tuition and required fees received under this section in a way
3-27 that does not increase the general revenue appropriations to that
4-1 institution.
4-2 Explanation: This change is needed to set a maximum amount
4-3 that certain students may receive under the TEXAS grant program, to
4-4 restrict the amounts of tuition and fees an institution of higher
4-5 education may receive from a TEXAS grant recipient and from other
4-6 sources, to clarify actions an institution may take with regard to
4-7 TEXAS grant recipients, and to specify the effect of the grants on
4-8 general revenue appropriations.
4-9 (4) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit
4-10 the committee to add additional text not included in either the
4-11 house or senate version of the bill, in Section 1 of the bill, in
4-12 added Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, to read as follows:
4-13 Sec. 56.311. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The
4-14 Legislative Oversight Committee on the TEXAS and Teach for Texas
4-15 grant programs established by this subchapter is composed of six
4-16 members as follows:
4-17 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
4-18 lieutenant governor; and
4-19 (2) three members of the house of representatives
4-20 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
4-21 (b) The committee shall:
4-22 (1) meet at least twice a year with the coordinating
4-23 board; and
4-24 (2) receive information regarding rules relating to
4-25 the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs established by this
4-26 subchapter that have been adopted by the coordinating board or
4-27 proposed for adoption by the coordinating board.
5-1 (c) The committee may request reports and other information
5-2 from the coordinating board relating to the operation of the TEXAS
5-3 and Teach for Texas grant programs under this subchapter by the
5-4 coordinating board.
5-5 (d) The committee shall review the specific recommendations
5-6 for legislation related to this subchapter that are proposed by the
5-7 coordinating board.
5-8 (e) The committee shall monitor the operation of the TEXAS
5-9 and Teach for Texas grant programs established under this
5-10 subchapter, with emphasis on the manner of the award of grants, the
5-11 number of grants awarded, and the educational progress made by
5-12 persons who have received grants under this subchapter.
5-13 (f) The committee shall file a report with the governor,
5-14 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
5-15 not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year.
5-16 (g) The report shall include identification of any problems
5-17 in the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs operated under this
5-18 subchapter with recommended solutions for the coordinating board
5-19 and for legislative action.
5-20 Explanation: This change is needed to create a legislative
5-21 oversight committee to oversee the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant
5-22 programs.
5-23 (5) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit
5-24 the committee to add additional text not included in either the
5-25 house or senate version of the bill, to read as follows:
5-26 SECTION 11. Sections 54.215 and . . . , Education Code, are
5-27 repealed.
6-1 SECTION 15. A person receiving a scholarship or other
6-2 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216, Education
6-3 Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, on the effective
6-4 date of this Act may continue to receive a scholarship or other
6-5 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216 or under
6-6 Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, as applicable to the
6-7 person on the effective date, until the person is no longer
6-8 eligible for the scholarship or other assistance under Section
6-9 54.215 or 54.216, Education Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56,
6-10 Education Code, as the applicable section or subchapter exists on
6-11 January 1, 1999. The costs of the scholarships or other financial
6-12 assistance authorized under this section shall be covered by the
6-13 TEXAS grant program established by Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
6-14 Education Code, as added by this Act.
6-15 Explanation: This change is needed to abolish the student
6-16 financial assistance program for certain National Guard/ROTC
6-17 students and to allow current National Guard/ROTC students to
6-18 continue to receive assistance.
6-19 (6) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit
6-20 the committee to add additional text not included in either the
6-21 house or senate version of the bill, to read as follows:
6-22 SECTION 17. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
6-23 Board shall review and study the effect of the TEXAS grant program
6-24 and the Teach for Texas grant program established by Subchapter M,
6-25 Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, on enrollments at
6-26 institutions of higher education. The study shall determine
6-27 whether there have been shifts in enrollments between universities
7-1 and community colleges and whether those shifts were caused by the
7-2 different grant amounts awarded to students at each institution.
7-3 The report shall make recommendations for legislative changes to
7-4 the methodology for calculating the amount of the grant awards, if
7-5 needed.
7-6 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
7-7 report its findings to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
7-8 speaker of the house of representatives, the presiding officer of
7-9 each legislative committee with oversight responsibilities for
7-10 higher education institutions, and the legislative oversight
7-11 committee established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education
7-12 Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2000.
7-13 Explanation: This change is needed to allow the Texas Higher
7-14 Education Coordinating Board to study and review the effects of the
7-15 TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program on
7-16 enrollments at institutions of higher education.