AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program was created to provide tuition grants to students attending two-year colleges who meet certain financial need criteria.  The program has grown to provide over $6 million worth of grants to more than 4,000 students, many of whom come from families with a household income of less than $30,000.  A similar tuition grant program, the TEXAS grant, has curriculum requirements for which many graduating high school students qualify, which has led to a drain on the amount of funding available for TEXAS grants.

 

H.B. 3577 seeks to allow a student who is eligible for both a TEXAS grant and a Texas Educational Opportunity Grant for the same academic term to receive only the grant of the greater amount.

 

H.B. 3577 amends current law relating to eligibility requirements for the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 56.404(e), Education Code, as follows:

 

(e)  Prohibits a person from receiving a grant under this subchapter and a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M (Toward Excellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) Grant Program) for the same semester or other term, regardless of whether the person is otherwise eligible for both grants during that semester or term, rather than from receiving a grant under this subchapter if the person is eligible for a TEXAS grant.  Entitles a person who but for this subsection would be awarded both a grant under this subchapter and a TEXAS grant for the same semester or other term to receive only the grant of the greater amount.

 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective to a Texas Educational Opportunity Grant awarded for the 2011-2012 academic year.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.