By Barrientos S.B. No. 995 77R6786 KSD-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to tuition and fee exemptions for certain junior college 1-3 teachers seeking graduate degrees. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subchapter X to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER X. TEXAS GRADUATE STUDIES TUITION AND FEE 1-8 EXEMPTION PROGRAM 1-9 Sec. 61.951. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program" means 1-10 the Texas Graduate Studies Tuition and Fee Exemption Program. 1-11 Sec. 61.952. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The board shall 1-12 establish and administer the Texas Graduate Studies Tuition and Fee 1-13 Exemption Program to provide incentives for public junior college 1-14 teachers who are members of groups that are underrepresented among 1-15 faculty and administrative and professional staff at public senior 1-16 colleges or universities to pursue master's and doctoral degrees at 1-17 public senior colleges or universities. 1-18 (b) The board shall adopt rules necessary for the 1-19 administration of this subchapter. 1-20 (c) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted 1-21 under this section to each public senior college or university. 1-22 Sec. 61.953. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to participate in 1-23 the program, a person must: 1-24 (1) be a member of an identifiable group or segment of 2-1 the population of this state that is underrepresented among faculty 2-2 and administrative and professional staff at a public senior 2-3 college or university, as determined by board rule; 2-4 (2) hold a bachelor's degree; 2-5 (3) currently teach as a professor, instructor, or 2-6 other faculty position of any rank at a public junior college or, 2-7 if the person is enrolled for a summer session, have taught in such 2-8 a position at a public junior college in the previous academic year 2-9 and have contracted to teach in such a position at a public junior 2-10 college during the next academic year; 2-11 (4) continuously be enrolled, except during summer 2-12 sessions, in at least six credit hours in a master's or doctoral 2-13 degree program at a public senior college or university; and 2-14 (5) maintain a cumulative grade point average in that 2-15 degree program of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale or the equivalent 2-16 on another grading scale. 2-17 Sec. 61.954. EXEMPTION. A person who is eligible to 2-18 participate in the program is exempt from the payment of tuition 2-19 and required fees at the public senior college or university at 2-20 which the person is enrolled. 2-21 Sec. 61.955. LIMITATION. A person may not receive an 2-22 exemption from the payment of tuition and fees under the program 2-23 for more than six years. 2-24 Sec. 61.956. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The board may appoint an 2-25 advisory committee to assist the board in performing the board's 2-26 duties under this subchapter. 2-27 Sec. 61.957. FUNDING. (a) The board may solicit and accept 3-1 gifts and grants from any source for the purposes of the program. 3-2 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the program. 3-3 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect beginning with the 2001 3-4 fall semester. 3-5 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 3-6 adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter X, Chapter 61, 3-7 Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after 3-8 this Act takes effect. 3-9 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-10 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-11 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-12 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-13 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.