78R4326 KEL-D

By:  Quintanilla                                                  H.B. No. 2633



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility to receive a TEXAS grant.                             
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 56.304(a), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(a)  To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person 
must:              
		(1)  be a resident of this state as determined by 
coordinating board rules; 
		(2)  meet any [either] of the following academic 
requirements:
			(A)  be a graduate of a public or accredited 
private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than the 
1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or advanced 
high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or 28.025 
or its equivalent;  [or]
			(B)  have received an associate degree from an 
eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2001;
			(C)  have received an associate degree from an 
eligible institution before May 1, 2001, with an overall grade 
point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the 
equivalent; or
			(D)  have completed at least 60 semester credit 
hours at one or more eligible institutions before the 2001 spring 
semester with an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 
four-point scale or the equivalent on all coursework attempted at 
the eligible institutions;
		(3)  meet financial need requirements as defined by the 
coordinating board; 
		(4)  be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or 
certificate program at an eligible institution;
		(5)  be enrolled as:                                                          
			(A)  an entering undergraduate student for at 
least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering 
undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not 
later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation 
from high school; or
			(B)  an entering student for at least 
three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as 
determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month 
after the month the person meets the requirements of Section 
56.304(a)(2)(B), or at any time after the person meets the 
requirements of Section 56.304(a)(2)(C) or (D) [receives an 
associate degree from an eligible institution];
		(6)  have applied for any available financial aid or 
assistance;  and       
		(7)  comply with any additional nonacademic 
requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this 
subchapter.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act relating to 
the eligibility of a person to receive a TEXAS grant applies 
beginning with students who demonstrate eligibility to receive a 
grant for the 2003-2004 academic year.
	SECTION 3.  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.