By Olivo H.B. No. 1187
77R3271 KKA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the Parents as Scholars pilot program for certain
1-3 persons eligible to receive financial assistance.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 31.045, Human Resources Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 31.045. PARENTS AS SCHOLARS PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Subject
1-8 to available funding, the [The] department shall [may] by rule
1-9 establish a [student financial aid pilot program, entitled the]
1-10 Parents as Scholars pilot program[,] under which [the department,
1-11 with the cooperation of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-12 Board, assists] certain persons eligible for [recipients of]
1-13 financial assistance receive, instead of financial assistance, a
1-14 package of benefits designed to assist the persons in obtaining a
1-15 postsecondary degree or certificate from an institution of higher
1-16 education. The benefits provided may include assistance with
1-17 payment of:
1-18 (1) tuition and fees;
1-19 (2) the costs of textbooks and other educational
1-20 supplies; and
1-21 (3) other costs associated with enrollment in an
1-22 institution of higher education [in obtaining student financial aid
1-23 available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code. If the
1-24 department establishes the program, the department and the
2-1 coordinating board must comply with the requirements of this
2-2 section].
2-3 (b) The department by rule shall establish eligibility
2-4 criteria for the program. The criteria must:
2-5 (1) require that a program participant meet[:]
2-6 [(A)] the eligibility criteria for financial
2-7 assistance [at the time that the person begins participation in the
2-8 program; and]
2-9 [(B) the eligibility requirements for a TEXAS
2-10 grant under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code];
2-11 (2) prohibit a person who possesses a bachelor's
2-12 degree from an institution of higher education from participating
2-13 in the program;
2-14 (3) require that a [the] program participant seek a
2-15 postsecondary [an undergraduate] degree or certificate that the
2-16 department[, in cooperation with the Texas Higher Education
2-17 Coordinating Board,] considers likely to improve the participant's
2-18 ability to obtain employment in the participant's local labor
2-19 market; and
2-20 (4) [(3)] be designed to result in the selection of
2-21 program participants who:
2-22 (A) are currently unable, due to a lack of
2-23 skills and training, to obtain employment at a compensation level
2-24 equal to at least 85 percent of the area median income; and
2-25 (B) demonstrate the aptitude to successfully
2-26 complete the requirements for obtaining a postsecondary [an
2-27 undergraduate] degree or certificate.
3-1 (c) A program participant is eligible for medical assistance
3-2 under Chapter 32 and support services under Section 31.010 in the
3-3 same manner as a person receiving financial assistance.
3-4 (d) The department by rule shall establish time limits and
3-5 other conditions applicable to a program participant, provided that
3-6 the department may not provide assistance to a program participant
3-7 for more than 48 months, and the department must require a program
3-8 participant to demonstrate satisfactory educational progress to
3-9 remain eligible for assistance.
3-10 (e) The department shall fund the program from state funds
3-11 specifically appropriated for that purpose or from other state
3-12 funds otherwise available to the department for the program. The
3-13 department shall establish and administer the program in such a
3-14 manner that money spent under the program is included in
3-15 determining the state's compliance with federal maintenance of
3-16 effort requirements under Part A, Title IV, Social Security Act (42
3-17 U.S.C. Section 601 et seq.).
3-18 (f) The [Under the program, the] department may also
3-19 [shall]:
3-20 (1) advise a program participant [recipients of
3-21 financial assistance] of:
3-22 (A) the availability of financial aid under
3-23 Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by Chapter 1590,
3-24 Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, and the
3-25 eligibility requirements for that aid; and
3-26 (B) [the need for recipients who are high school
3-27 students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for
4-1 success beyond high school;]
4-2 [(C)] sources of information on higher education
4-3 admissions and financial aid[; and]
4-4 [(D) eligibility criteria and application
4-5 procedures for participation in the program]; and
4-6 (2) assist a [recipient chosen to participate in the]
4-7 program participant in obtaining any available financial aid
4-8 [available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code].
4-9 [(d) A program participant who obtains financial aid
4-10 available under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, may
4-11 continue to receive financial aid as provided by that subchapter,
4-12 regardless of whether the participant ceases to receive financial
4-13 assistance.]
4-14 [(e) The department may cooperate with the Legislative
4-15 Oversight Committee under Section 56.311, Education Code, by
4-16 providing information relating to program participants receiving
4-17 financial aid under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, that
4-18 is necessary for the committee to perform its duty of monitoring
4-19 the financial aid programs established under that subchapter.]
4-20 [(f) The department and the Texas Higher Education
4-21 Coordinating Board shall jointly develop procedures necessary for
4-22 administration of the program, including procedures for:]
4-23 [(1) determining and monitoring a program
4-24 participant's initial and continuing eligibility for financial aid
4-25 under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code;]
4-26 [(2) providing appropriate information to financial
4-27 aid officers of institutions of higher education; and]
5-1 [(3) exchanging all necessary information between the
5-2 department and the coordinating board, including copies of rules
5-3 adopted by the coordinating board relating to the administration of
5-4 the financial aid programs under Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
5-5 Education Code.]
5-6 (g) Not later than January 15, 2005 [2001], the department
5-7 shall submit to the legislature a report relating to the program
5-8 established under this section. The report must include:
5-9 (1) an evaluation of the program's effectiveness in
5-10 improving employability of persons eligible for financial
5-11 assistance; and
5-12 (2) recommendations from the department concerning
5-13 termination, continuation, or expansion of the program.
5-14 (h) This section [takes effect only if H.B. 713, Acts of the
5-15 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is enacted and becomes
5-16 law. If this section takes effect, it] expires September 1, 2005
5-17 [2003].
5-18 SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
5-19 state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
5-20 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
5-21 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
5-22 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
5-23 waiver or authorization is granted.
5-24 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.