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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program |
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and to the funding of certain exemptions from tuition and fees at |
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public institutions of higher education from savings attributable |
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to the program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.213(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) [Savings to the foundation school fund that occur as a
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result of the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program
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created in Subchapter K, Chapter 56, and that are not required for
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the funding of state credits for tuition and mandatory fees under
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Section 56.204 or school district credits under Section 56.2075
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shall be used first to provide tuition exemptions under Section
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54.212. Any of those savings remaining after providing tuition
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exemptions under Section 54.212 shall be used to provide tuition
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exemptions under Section 54.214.] The Texas Education Agency shall |
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[also] accept and make available to provide tuition exemptions |
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under Section 54.214 gifts, grants, and donations made to the |
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agency for that purpose. The commissioner of education shall |
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transfer those funds to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board to distribute to institutions of higher education that |
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provide exemptions under that section. [Payment of funds under
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this subsection shall be made in the manner provided by Section
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56.207 for state credits under Subchapter K, Chapter 56.] |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.204, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) In a total amount not to exceed the amount of funds |
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appropriated for the current state fiscal year to pay for [An
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eligible person under the Early High School Graduation Scholarship
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program is entitled to] a state credit to apply toward tuition or |
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tuition and mandatory fees, as applicable, at a public or private |
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institution of higher education in this state, the commissioner of |
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education shall award to eligible persons credits in the following |
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amounts: |
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(1) $2,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees |
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if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced |
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high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated |
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from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in 36 consecutive |
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months or less and an additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and |
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mandatory fees if the person graduated with at least 15 hours of |
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college credit; |
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(2) $500 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if |
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the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced high |
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school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated from |
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high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 36 |
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consecutive months but not more than 41 consecutive months and an |
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additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if the |
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person graduated with at least 30 hours of college credit; |
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(3) $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees |
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if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced |
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high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated |
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from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 41 |
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consecutive months but not more than 45 consecutive months with at |
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least 30 hours of college credit; or |
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(4) $1,000 to apply only toward tuition if the person |
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graduated before September 1, 2005, after successfully completing |
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the requirements for a high school diploma in not more than 36 |
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consecutive months. |
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(a-1) The commissioner of education by rule shall establish |
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the procedure to allocate awards under this section in the event |
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that the amount of funds appropriated in a state fiscal year for the |
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Early High School Graduation Scholarship program is insufficient to |
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allow the commissioner to award credits to all students eligible to |
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be awarded a state credit in that fiscal year. |
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SECTION 3. Section 56.207(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) On receipt of a report from the coordinating board under |
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Subsection (a), the commissioner of education shall transfer to the |
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coordinating board, from funds appropriated for the purpose of the |
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Early High [Foundation] School Graduation Scholarship program |
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[Program], an amount sufficient to pay each eligible institution of |
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higher education the amount of state credit for tuition or tuition |
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and mandatory fees, as applicable, that is applied by the |
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institution during the period covered by the report. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 56.202(b) and 56.208, Education Code, |
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are repealed. |
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SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after this Act takes |
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effect, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall revise |
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rules adopted under Section 56.209(a), Education Code, as necessary |
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to conform to changes made by this Act to Subchapter K, Chapter 56, |
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Education Code. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt |
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the revisions to those rules in the manner provided by law for |
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emergency rules. This section expires September 1, 2012. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, but do not affect any |
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state credit awarded under Subchapter K, Chapter 56, Education |
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Code, before the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 7. 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, 2011. |