By: Howard of Fort Bend, et al. H.B. No. 1250

(Senate Sponsor - Patrick)

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2007; May 1, 2007, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education; May 18, 2007, reported favorably from Committee on Education by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting discrimination based on a student's secondary school in awarding certain financial aid for higher education.

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 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 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 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.

SECTION 2. Section 56.455, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 56.455. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR LOAN. To be eligible initially for a Texas B-On-time loan, a person must:

(1) be a resident of this state under Section 54.052 or be entitled, as a child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, to pay tuition at the rate provided for residents of this state under Section 54.058;

(2) meet one 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 2002-2003 school year under the recommended or advanced high school program established under Section 28.025(a) or its equivalent;

(B) be a graduate of a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense who:

(i) graduated from that school not earlier than the 2002-2003 school year; and

(ii) at the time of graduation from that school was a dependent child of a member of the armed forces of the United States; or

(C) have received an associate degree from an eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2005;

(3) be enrolled for a full course load for an undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, in an undergraduate degree or certificate program at an eligible institution;

(4) be eligible for federal financial aid, except that a person is not required to meet any financial need requirement applicable to a particular federal financial aid program; and

(5) comply with any additional nonacademic requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act in amending Sections 56.304(a) and 56.455, Education Code, applies beginning with student financial aid awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year. The change in law does not affect student financial aid awarded for an academic period before that academic year, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

* * * * *