By:  Bivins                                                       S.B. No. 1366


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility under the Early High School Graduation 
Scholarship program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 56.203, Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 56.203.  ELIGIBLE PERSON.  (a)  To be eligible for the 
Early High School Graduation Scholarship program, a person must:
		(1)  have the written approval of at least one of the 
person's parents or a person standing in parental relation to the 
person;
		(2)  have successfully completed the recommended or 
advanced high school program established under Section 28.025
[requirements for a public high school diploma] in not more than 36 
consecutive months and graduated or be eligible for graduation from 
a Texas public high school;
		(3)  have attended high school in this state only; and                        
		(4)  be a Texas resident as defined by Texas Higher 
Education Coordinating Board rule.
	(b)  A person who does not satisfy the curriculum 
requirements of Subsection (a)(2) is considered to have satisfied 
those requirements if the high school from which the person 
graduated indicates on the person's transcript that the person was 
unable to complete the appropriate curriculum within the time 
prescribed by that subsection solely because necessary courses were 
unavailable to the person at the appropriate times in the person's 
high school career as a result of course scheduling, lack of 
enrollment capacity, or another cause not within the person's 
control.
	SECTION 2.  Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Subsections (g) and (g-1) to read as follows:
	(g)  If a student, other than a student permitted to take 
courses under the minimum high school program as provided by 
Subsection (b), is unable to complete the recommended or advanced 
high school program solely because necessary courses were 
unavailable to the student at the appropriate times in the 
student's high school career as a result of course scheduling, lack 
of enrollment capacity, or another cause not within the student's 
control, the school district shall indicate that fact on the 
student's transcript form described by Subsection (e).
	(g-1)  Subsection (g) applies to students entering grade 
nine during or after the 2003-2004 school year.  This subsection 
expires January 1, 2004.
	SECTION 3.   Section 56.203, Education Code, as amended by 
this Act, applies only to a person who enters grade nine during or 
after the 2003-2004 school year.  A person who enters grade nine 
before the 2003-2004 school year is governed by Section 56.203, 
Education Code, as it existed before amendment by this Act, and the 
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.