HBA-EDN S.B. 1057 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1057 By: Ellis, Rodney Higher Education 4/22/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the TEXAS grant program grants students the opportunity to enroll in institutions of higher education. An interim committee report recommended improvements to help raise awareness of the program among certain groups. Senate Bill 1057 implements recommendations from the TEXAS grant program legislative oversight committee report. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 56.304, Education Code) of this bill. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 1057 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (coordinating board) to adopt rules to provide a person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant (grant) additional time during which the person may receive a grant in the event of a hardship or other good cause shown that prevents the person from continuing the person's enrollment at an eligible institution during the person's initial eligibility period. S.B. 1057 requires the coordinating board and the commissioner of education to develop a plan or set of recommendations to ensure that information on the grant program and other financial aid information is adequately publicized to prospective students and financial aid recipients, their parents, school counselors, student financial aid offices, and other appropriate entities. The bill requires the coordinating board and the commissioner of education to report the results of the study and the plan or recommendations to the legislature not later than October 1, 2002. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with students who demonstrate eligibility to receive a grant for the 2001-2002 school year.