Amend CSSB 31 (Senate committee printing) as follows:
(1) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to
the bill:
SECTION ___. Section 56.301, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 56.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "Eligible institution" means[:
[(A)] an institution of higher education that
offers one or more undergraduate degree or certificate programs[;
or
[(B) a private or independent institution of
higher education].
(3) "Public junior college" ["Private or independent
institution of higher education," "public junior college,"] and
"public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by Section
61.003.
SECTION ___. Subsection (b), Section 56.302, Education
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) The purpose of this subchapter is to provide a grant of
money to enable eligible students to attend public [and private]
institutions of higher education in this state.
(2) In the recital to SECTION 3 of the bill (page 2, line
19), strike "Subsection (e)" and substitute "Subsections (a) and
(e)".
(3) In SECTION 3 of the bill, between the recital and
amended Subsection (e), Section 56.304, Education Code (page 2,
between lines 20 and 21), insert the following:
(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 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 a
public or private [an eligible] institution of higher education not
earlier than May 1, 2001;
(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 receives an associate degree from a
public or private [an eligible] institution of higher education;
(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.
(4) In SECTION 4 of the bill, in proposed Paragraph (B),
Subdivision (2), Subsection (e), Section 56.305, Education Code
(page 2, line 64), between "attempted at" and "institutions",
insert "public or private".
(5) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to
the bill:
SECTION ___. Subsection (a), Section 56.307, Education
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The amount of a TEXAS grant for a semester or term for a
person enrolled full-time at an eligible institution other than an
institution covered by Subsection [(b),] (c)[,] or (d) is the
amount determined by the coordinating board as the average
statewide amount of tuition and required fees that a resident
student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program would
be charged for that semester or term at general academic teaching
institutions.
SECTION ___. Subsections (b) and (h), Section 56.307,
Education Code, are repealed.
(6) In SECTION 9 of the bill (page 5, lines 23-29), strike
proposed Subsection (a) and substitute the following:
(a) The change in law made by this Act to Subchapter M,
Chapter 56, Education Code, applies beginning with the 2005-2006
academic year, but does not affect the amount of or entitlement to
any grant awarded before the effective date of this Act.
(7) Renumber other SECTIONS of the bill accordingly.