78R6557 JSA-D

By:  Wilson                                                       H.B. No. 1211



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to financial assistance for certain intercollegiate 
athletes.      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.   Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding 
Subchapter Q to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER Q.  TEXAS INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETE GRANTS
	Sec. 56.451.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "program" 
means the Texas Intercollegiate Athlete Grant Program at an 
institution of higher education.
	Sec. 56.452.  PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT.  (a)  The governing 
board of an institution of higher education may establish a Texas 
Intercollegiate Athlete Grant Program to provide grants to students 
enrolled at the institution.  The institution's financial aid 
office shall administer the program.
	(b)  The governing board may adopt rules providing 
application procedures for a grant under this subchapter.
	Sec. 56.453.  GRANTS.  The program must provide a grant to a 
qualified student in an amount determined by the governing board of 
the institution establishing the program not to exceed $200 a month 
for the period for which the grant is made.
	Sec. 56.454.  PROGRAM FUNDING.  (a)  The governing board of 
the institution establishing a program shall set aside each 
academic year not less than five percent or more than 10 percent of 
the institution's total receipts from athletic activities to be 
used only for grants awarded to students under this subchapter.
	(b)  A grant provided under this subchapter to a student may 
not be considered in determining whether the student is entitled to 
other athletic scholarship aid, including aid for tuition, fees, 
room, board, or books.
	Sec. 56.455.  ELIGIBILITY.  To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subchapter, a student must:
		(1)  be enrolled in the institution awarding the grant; 
and          
		(2)  be a recipient of an athletic scholarship awarded 
by the institution during the period for which the grant is to be 
awarded.
	Sec. 56.456.  LIMITATIONS ON GRANTS.  A grant awarded under 
this subchapter terminates if the student awarded the grant:
		(1)  becomes ineligible to receive the grant;                          
		(2)  becomes ineligible to receive the student's 
athletic scholarship; or
		(3)  ceases to participate in appropriate, scheduled 
athletic activities of the institution awarding the grant.
	SECTION 2.  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.