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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing scholarships for children of public school |
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teachers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter M-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER M-1. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN OF PUBLIC SCHOOL |
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TEACHERS |
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Sec. 61.721. SCHOLARSHIPS. The board shall establish and |
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administer, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules, |
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scholarships for students who are: |
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(1) dependent children of public school classroom |
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teachers; and |
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(2) enrolled in an institution of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.722. FACTORS. (a) The scholarships shall be |
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established and administered in a manner that the board determines |
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best serves the public purpose of the scholarships. |
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(b) In determining what best serves the public purpose, the |
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board shall consider the following factors relating to each person |
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applying for a scholarship under this section: |
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(1) the financial need of the applicant and the |
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applicant's family; |
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(2) the scholastic ability and performance of the |
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applicant; and |
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(3) other factors the board considers relevant, such |
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as the applicant's responsibilities to others, the applicant's |
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involvement in community service, the applicant's commitment to the |
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applicant's education, and any hardships or disabilities affecting |
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the applicant. |
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Sec. 61.723. RULES. The board shall adopt rules as |
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necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including |
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rules providing eligibility criteria and the manner in which the |
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amount of a scholarship is determined. |
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Sec. 61.724. SCHOLARSHIP REGULATIONS. (a) The board shall |
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determine the maximum amount of a scholarship awarded under this |
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subchapter. The scholarship may be spent by the recipient only to |
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cover all or part of the costs of attendance, including tuition, |
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fees, expenses for books and supplies, and living expenses, |
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incurred by the recipient in connection with enrollment at an |
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institution of higher education. |
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(b) To be eligible for consideration to receive a |
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scholarship, a person must have an annual household income of less |
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than $150,000. |
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(c) A scholarship under this subchapter shall be paid to the |
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recipient in the form of periodic partial payments throughout the |
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academic year. The board by rule shall determine the manner in |
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which the payments are made. |
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Sec. 61.725. FUNDING. The board shall administer this |
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subchapter using available appropriations and gifts, grants, and |
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donations made for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules required by Subchapter M-1, Chapter 61, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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this Act takes effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may |
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adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency |
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rules. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |