C.S.H.B. 3209 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 3209
By: Heflin
Higher Education
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 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.  CSHB 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

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

CSHB 3209 amends Section 56.307(h), Education Code, to provide that a
student may receive both a TEXAS Grant and a Tuition Equalization Grant,
except that the two grants may not exceed the amount of tuition and
required fees charged to the student for the academic periods for which
one or more of the grants were awarded. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article
III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary
for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The introduced version of the bill made reference to eligibility for the
two grants "in that year", or in an academic year for which the grants are
awarded, typically meaning a fall and spring semester according to the
interpretation of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  The
substitute removes such reference to clarify that a student would be
eligible in any semester enrolled.