80R6799 CAS-D

By: Rose H.B. No. 2650

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation and administration of the teacher, engineer, or professional nurse undergraduate education scholarship program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter FF to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER FF. TEACHER, ENGINEER, OR PROFESSIONAL NURSE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Sec. 61.9831. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Professional nursing" has the meaning assigned by Section 301.002, Occupations Code.

(2) "Professional nursing program" means an educational program for preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses.

Sec. 61.9832. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP. (a) In accordance with this subchapter and board rules, the board shall establish and administer a program to award scholarships to students who:

(1) are enrolled at institutions of higher education in any of the following undergraduate programs:

(A) educator preparation programs;

(B) professional nursing programs; or

(C) programs leading to a degree in engineering; and

(2) agree to be employed in this state for a specified period:

(A) as teachers in public schools;

(B) as engineers; or

(C) in the field of professional nursing.

(b) The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter for an academic year is equal to the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees that the institution of higher education in which the scholarship recipient is enrolled charges the recipient for that academic year for semester credit hours for which the recipient may use the scholarship to pay tuition and mandatory fees as provided by Subsection (c).

(c) A student may use a scholarship under this subchapter only to pay tuition and mandatory fees for a semester credit hour that is required for completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled.

Sec. 61.9833. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a person must:

(1) have graduated with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent from:

(A) a public high school in this state; or

(B) a private high school in this state that is accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization;

(2) be enrolled at an institution of higher education in one of the following undergraduate programs:

(A) an educator preparation program accredited by the State Board for Educator Certification;

(B) a program with an engineering or related science curriculum described by Section 1001.302(a)(1)(A) or (B), Occupations Code; or

(C) a professional nursing program approved by the board or the Board of Nurse Examiners; and

(3) enter into an agreement with the board as provided by Section 61.9834.

(b) If in any year the amount of money available for scholarships under this subchapter is insufficient to award a scholarship to each eligible applicant or if there are more eligible applicants than the number of scholarships authorized by this section, the board shall establish criteria to determine which eligible applicants will be granted scholarships as the board determines appropriate to further the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9834. AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) To qualify for a scholarship under this subchapter, a person must enter into a written agreement with the board as provided by this section. The agreement must:

(1) specify the conditions the person must satisfy to receive the initial scholarship award for the first academic year the person is enrolled in a degree program described by Section 61.9833(a)(2);

(2) specify the conditions the person must satisfy to receive the scholarship award in any subsequent academic year the person is enrolled in the degree program, including requiring the person to:

(A) complete at least 75 percent of the semester credit hours attempted by the person in the most recent academic year, for a total of 24 semester credit hours or more; and

(B) maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all coursework attempted at institutions of higher education, if the person is enrolled in any academic year after the person's first academic year;

(3) require the person to remain continuously enrolled at an institution of higher education in a degree program described by Section 61.9833(a)(2);

(4) require the person to earn a baccalaureate degree at an institution of higher education through completion of a degree program described by Section 61.9833(a)(2);

(5) require the person to obtain, within the period prescribed by board rule, appropriate certification or licensure to be employed in this state, as applicable:

(A) as a teacher;

(B) as an engineer; or

(C) in the field of professional nursing;

(6) require the person to accept, not later than the first anniversary of the date the person obtains the appropriate certification or licensure, an offer of full-time employment in this state, as applicable:

(A) to teach in a public school in this state;

(B) to work as an engineer; or

(C) to engage in professional nursing;

(7) beginning on the date the person first becomes employed in the field after obtaining the appropriate certification or licensure, require the person to complete five consecutive years of full-time employment in this state, as applicable:

(A) as a teacher in a public school;

(B) as an engineer; or

(C) in the field of professional nursing;

(8) provide that any scholarship award the person receives under this subchapter constitutes a loan until the person:

(A) subject to Section 61.9835, satisfies the requirements of Subdivision (7) and any other applicable conditions of the agreement; or

(B) is excused from the repayment obligation in accordance with law; and

(9) require the person to sign a promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the scholarship award received and promising to repay the full amount of that assistance plus applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the person does not satisfy the applicable conditions and is not excused from the repayment obligation in accordance with law.

(b) The board shall determine the terms of the promissory note required by Subsection (a)(9). To the extent practicable, the terms must be the same as those applicable to state or federally guaranteed student loans made at the same time.

Sec. 61.9835. EXCEPTIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP OBLIGATIONS. (a) A person is not considered to be in violation of the course load and continuous enrollment obligations in the agreement described by Section 61.9834 if the person is unable to complete the appropriate percentage or number of semester credit hours, remain continuously enrolled in the person's degree program, or remain continuously employed as required by Section 61.9834(a)(7) solely because of a hardship or other good cause, as determined by the board, including for a reason specified by Subsection (b)(2) or (3).

(b) A person is not considered to be in violation of the employment obligation in the agreement described by Section 61.9834 during any period in which the person:

(1) is pursuing a full-time course of study:

(A) related to the field of teaching, engineering, or professional nursing, as applicable;

(B) offered by a public or private institution of higher education in this state; and

(C) approved by the appropriate certification, licensing, or higher education authority;

(2) is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, including as a member of a reserve force or National Guard called to active duty;

(3) is temporarily totally disabled for a period not to exceed 36 months as established by the affidavit of a qualified physician;

(4) is unable to secure employment for a period not to exceed 12 months because of care required by a disabled spouse or child;

(5) is seeking and unable to find, for a single period not to exceed 12 months, full-time employment in the applicable field; or

(6) satisfies the provisions of any other employment exception adopted by the board.

(c) A person is excused from the repayment obligation in a promissory note described by Section 61.9834 if:

(1) the person becomes permanently totally disabled as established by the affidavit of a qualified physician; or

(2) the board waives repayment in the case of extreme hardship to the person.

Sec. 61.9836. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and accept grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9837. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules to administer this subchapter, including rules:

(1) providing for the manner in which a student may apply for a scholarship; and

(2) providing for notification of the scholarship program under this subchapter to students enrolled at an institution of higher education in a program described by Section 61.9833(a)(2).

(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted under this section to each institution of higher education providing a program described by Section 61.9833(a)(2).

SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2007, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules for the undergraduate education scholarship program under Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act.

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, 2007.