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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing scholarships for members of a Reserve |
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Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) attending public institutions of |
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higher education. |
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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 FF to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER FF. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERS OF A RESERVE OFFICERS' |
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TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) |
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Sec. 61.9771. 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) members of a Reserve Officers' Training Corps |
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(ROTC); and |
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(2) enrolled in an undergraduate program at an |
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institution of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9772. ELIGIBILITY; NOMINATION AND SELECTION. (a) |
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To be eligible to receive an initial scholarship under this |
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subchapter, a student must: |
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(1) have earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 |
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on a four-point scale or the equivalent for each year of high |
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school; |
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(2) graduate from a public or private high school in |
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this state; |
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(3) demonstrate leadership abilities through |
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participation in community service, extracurricular activities, or |
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other activities, as determined by the board; |
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(4) be enrolled as a freshman in an institution of |
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higher education; |
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(5) enroll in and be a member in good standing of a |
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Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program while enrolled in |
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an institution of higher education, regardless of whether the |
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student pursues a military obligation; and |
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(6) be nominated for a scholarship by a state senator |
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or state representative. |
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(b) In each year, each state senator may nominate up to four |
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students to receive an initial scholarship under this subchapter, |
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and each state representative may nominate up to two students to |
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receive an initial scholarship under this subchapter. From the |
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students nominated, the coordinating board by lottery shall select |
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the students who receive an initial scholarship in a number |
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determined by the board under Section 61.9773. |
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(c) For a student to continue to receive a scholarship |
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awarded under this subchapter, the student must maintain a |
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cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale |
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or the equivalent for each semester the student is enrolled in an |
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institution of higher education. |
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Sec. 61.9773. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules as |
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necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including |
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rules regarding the eligibility criteria, the selection of |
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recipients by lottery, and the manner in which the amount of a |
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scholarship is determined. |
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(b) In determining the amount of a scholarship awarded under |
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this subchapter, the board shall consider: |
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(1) the financial need of the student; and |
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(2) other financial aid available to the student. |
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(c) The board shall determine the maximum amount of a |
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scholarship awarded under this subchapter and the number of |
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eligible students who may receive a scholarship, considering funds |
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available. |
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(d) The board by rule shall determine the manner in which |
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the scholarship payments are made. |
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Sec. 61.9774. USE OF SCHOLARSHIP; LIMITATION. (a) A |
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scholarship may be spent by the recipient only to cover all or part |
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of the costs of attendance, including tuition, fees, expenses for |
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books and supplies, and living expenses, incurred by the recipient |
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in connection with enrollment at an institution of higher |
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education. |
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(b) A person may not receive a scholarship under this |
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subchapter for more than a cumulative total of 150 credit hours or |
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after being awarded a baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first. |
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Sec. 61.9775. 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 award scholarships under Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2010-2011 academic |
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year. The coordinating board shall adopt the rules required by that |
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subchapter as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2010. |