SRC-TAG H.B. 3209 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 3209 78R12387 JSA-FBy: Heflin (Ratliff) Education 5/22/2003 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE The 76th Legislature created the Toward Excellence, Access and Success (TEXAS) Grant program to encourage high school students to take college preparatory courses and to give qualifying students in Texas the opportunity to obtain a higher education. Some students attending private colleges and universities also receive Tuition Equalization Grants (TEG) to help them pay the higher tuition prices of private university tuition. Currently, a student attending a private university who qualifies for both a TEG and TEXAS Grant is allowed to receive only a portion of the TEG for which that student is eligible. H.B. 3209 authorizes a qualifying student to receive both a TEXAS Grant and a TEG in an academic year not to exceed tuition and fees charged to the student. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 56.307(h), Education Code, to prohibit the total amount of grants that a student may receive an academic year under this subchapter and under Section 61.221 from exceeding the total amount of tuition and required fees charged to the student for the academic periods for which one or more the grants were awarded. Deletes text prohibiting the total amount of grants from exceeding the maximum amount authorized under Section 61.227. SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 academic year. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.