By Green                                              H.B. No. 1672
         77R6755 QS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the eligibility of graduates of private high schools
 1-3     for higher education TEXAS grants.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 56.304, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (i) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (a)  To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person
 1-9     must:
1-10                 (1)  be a resident of this state as determined by
1-11     coordinating board rules;
1-12                 (2)  meet either of the following academic
1-13     requirements:
1-14                       (A)  be a graduate of a public or [accredited]
1-15     private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than
1-16     the 1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or
1-17     advanced high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or
1-18     28.025 or its equivalent; or
1-19                       (B)  have received an associate degree from an
1-20     eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2001;
1-21                 (3)  meet financial need requirements as defined by the
1-22     coordinating board;
1-23                 (4)  be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
1-24     certificate program at an eligible institution;
 2-1                 (5)  be enrolled as:
 2-2                       (A)  an entering undergraduate student for at
 2-3     least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering
 2-4     undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not
 2-5     later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation
 2-6     from high school; or
 2-7                       (B)  an entering student for at least
 2-8     three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as
 2-9     determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month
2-10     after the month the person receives an associate degree from an
2-11     eligible institution;
2-12                 (6)  have applied for any available financial aid or
2-13     assistance; and
2-14                 (7)  comply with any additional nonacademic requirement
2-15     adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.
2-16           (i)  For the 2001-2002 academic year, the enrollment deadline
2-17     imposed by Subsection (a)(5)(A) does not apply to a person who
2-18     graduated from an unaccredited high school and is otherwise
2-19     eligible for an initial TEXAS grant under this section.  However,
2-20     the course load requirement described by Subsection (a)(5)(A)
2-21     continues to apply to that person.  This subsection expires January
2-22     1, 2003.
2-23           SECTION 2. Section 56.308(d), Education Code, is amended to
2-24     read as follows:
2-25           (d)  In addition to the eligibility requirements of Section
2-26     56.304, a person who graduated from a [an accredited] private high
2-27     school is eligible to receive a grant under this subchapter only if
 3-1     the student's official transcript or diploma includes the
 3-2     information required as provided by Subsections (b)(2)(A) and (c).
 3-3           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 3-4     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 3-5     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 3-6     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-7     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.