By: Ellis S.B. No. 1057 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the administration of the TEXAS grant program and to 1-3 the dissemination of student financial aid information. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subsection (e), Section 56.304, Education Code, 1-6 is amended to read as follows: 1-7 (e) A person's eligibility for a TEXAS grant ends on the 1-8 sixth anniversary of the initial award of a TEXAS grant to the 1-9 person and the person's enrollment in an eligible institution, 1-10 unless the person is provided additional time during which the 1-11 person may receive a TEXAS grant under this subsection. The 1-12 coordinating board shall adopt rules to provide a person who is 1-13 otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant additional time during 1-14 which the person may receive a TEXAS grant in the event of a 1-15 hardship or other good cause shown that prevents the person from 1-16 continuing the person's enrollment during the period the person 1-17 would otherwise have been eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, 1-18 including a showing of a severe illness or other debilitating 1-19 condition or that the person is or was responsible for the care of 1-20 a sick, injured, or needy person. 1-21 SECTION 2. Section 61.0776, Education Code, is amended by 1-22 adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: 1-23 (f) The board and the commissioner of education shall 1-24 develop a plan or set of recommendations to ensure that information 1-25 on the TEXAS grant program and other financial aid information 2-1 described by Subsection (a) is adequately publicized to prospective 2-2 students and financial aid recipients and their parents and to 2-3 school counselors, student financial aid offices, and other 2-4 appropriate entities. The board and the commissioner of education 2-5 shall report the results of the study and the plan or 2-6 recommendations to the legislature not later than October 1, 2002. 2-7 This subsection expires January 1, 2003. 2-8 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 2-9 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 2-10 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 2-11 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 2-12 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-13 (b) The change in law made by this Act relating to the 2-14 eligibility of a person to receive a TEXAS grant applies beginning 2-15 with students who demonstrate eligibility to receive a grant for 2-16 the 2001-2002 academic year.