SRC-MWN S.B. 1057 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1057 77R8502 JSA-DBy: Ellis, Rodney Education 3/18/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the TEXAS Grant Program grants students the opportunity to enroll into institutions of higher education. An interim committee report recommended improvements to help raise awareness of the program among certain groups. As proposed, S.B. 1057 implements recommendations from the TEXAS Grant Program Legislative Oversight Committee's interim report. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 56.304, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 56.304(e), Education Code, to provide that a person's eligibility for a TEXAS grant ends on the sixth anniversary of the initial award of a TEXAS grant to the person and the person's enrollment in an eligible institution, unless the person is provided additional time during which the person is authorized to receive a TEXAS grant under this subsection. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (coordinating board) to adopt rules to provide a person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant additional time during which the person is authorized to receive a TEXAS grant in the event of a hardship or other good cause shown that prevents the person from continuing the person's enrollment during the period the person would otherwise have been eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, including a showing of a severe illness or other debilitating condition or that the person is or was responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person. SECTION 2. Amends Section 61.0776, Education Code, by adding Subsection (f), to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) and the commissioner of education to develop a plan or set of recommendations to ensure that information on the TEXAS grant program and other financial aid information described by Subsection (a) is adequately publicized to prospective students and financial aid recipients and their parents and to school counselors, student financial aid offices, and other appropriate entities. Requires the 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. Provides that this subsection expires January 1, 2003. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001. Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2001-2002 academic year.