77R13386 JSA-D By Ellis S.B. No. 1057 Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1057: By Brown of Brazos C.S.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 amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as 1-23 follows: 1-24 (c) The board may designate an institution of higher 2-1 education or other entity with appropriate facilities and resources 2-2 to operate or house the center. If the board designates a public 2-3 nonprofit entity created by the legislature to operate or house the 2-4 center, the board may reimburse the entity from money appropriated 2-5 for that purpose for the costs incurred by the entity in carrying 2-6 out the activities of the center under this section. 2-7 (f) The board and the commissioner of education shall 2-8 develop a plan or set of recommendations to ensure that information 2-9 on the TEXAS grant program and other financial aid information 2-10 described by Subsection (a) is adequately publicized to prospective 2-11 students and financial aid recipients and their parents and to 2-12 school counselors, student financial aid offices, and other 2-13 appropriate entities. The board and the commissioner of education 2-14 shall report the results of the study and the plan or 2-15 recommendations to the legislature not later than October 1, 2002. 2-16 This subsection expires January 1, 2003. 2-17 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 2-18 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 2-19 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 2-20 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 2-21 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-22 (b) The change in law made by this Act relating to the 2-23 eligibility of a person to receive a TEXAS grant applies beginning 2-24 with students who demonstrate eligibility to receive a grant for 2-25 the 2001-2002 academic year.