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.