| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to temporary housing between academic terms for certain |
|
|
postsecondary students who have been under the conservatorship of |
|
|
the Department of Family and Protective Services. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 51.976 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 51.976. TEMPORARY HOUSING BETWEEN ACADEMIC TERMS FOR |
|
|
CERTAIN STUDENTS FORMERLY UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP OF DEPARTMENT OF |
|
|
FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 61.003. |
|
|
(2) "Academic term" includes a summer session. |
|
|
(b) To be eligible to receive housing assistance from an |
|
|
institution of higher education under Subsection (c), a student |
|
|
must: |
|
|
(1) have been under the conservatorship of the |
|
|
Department of Family and Protective Services or its predecessor in |
|
|
function on the day preceding: |
|
|
(A) the student's 18th birthday; or |
|
|
(B) the date the student's disabilities of |
|
|
minority are removed by a court under Chapter 31, Family Code; |
|
|
(2) be enrolled full-time at the institution during |
|
|
the academic term immediately preceding the period for which the |
|
|
student requests the housing assistance; |
|
|
(3) be registered or otherwise have taken the actions |
|
|
required by the institution to permit the student to enroll |
|
|
full-time at the institution during the academic term immediately |
|
|
following the period for which the student requests the housing |
|
|
assistance; and |
|
|
(4) lack other reasonable temporary housing |
|
|
alternatives between the academic terms described by Subdivisions |
|
|
(2) and (3), as determined by the institution. |
|
|
(c) On the student's request, each institution of higher |
|
|
education shall assist an eligible student in locating temporary |
|
|
housing for any period beginning on the last day of an academic term |
|
|
and ending on the first day of the immediately following academic |
|
|
term, according to the institution's academic calendar. |
|
|
(d) For each eligible student under Subsection (b) who also |
|
|
demonstrates financial need, the institution may: |
|
|
(1) provide a stipend to cover any reasonable costs of |
|
|
the temporary housing that are not covered by other financial aid |
|
|
immediately available to the student for that purpose; or |
|
|
(2) provide temporary housing directly to the student |
|
|
for the applicable period. |
|
|
(e) The receipt of a stipend under Subsection (d) does not |
|
|
prohibit the student from receiving additional stipends under that |
|
|
subsection in one or more subsequent periods, based on the |
|
|
student's demonstrated financial need. |
|
|
(f) An institution of higher education may use any available |
|
|
revenue, including legislative appropriations, and may solicit and |
|
|
accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this |
|
|
section. The institution shall use any gifts, grants, and |
|
|
donations received for the purposes of this section before using |
|
|
other revenue. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |