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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creation and administration of a program to provide |
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grants for certain elementary and secondary students for academic |
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achievement. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter Q to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER Q. GRANT PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS |
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Sec. 403.451. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to |
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provide grants for eligible elementary and secondary students for |
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academic achievement. |
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Sec. 403.452. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENT GRANT |
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PROGRAM FUND. (a) In this subchapter, "fund" means the elementary |
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and secondary student grant program fund. |
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(b) The elementary and secondary student grant program fund |
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is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is composed |
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of: |
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(1) legislative appropriations; |
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(2) gifts, grants, donations, and matching funds |
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received under Subsection (c); and |
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(3) other money required by law to be deposited in the |
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account. |
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(c) The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts, grants, |
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and donations of money from the federal government, local |
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governments, private corporations, or other persons to be used for |
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the purposes of this subchapter. |
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(d) The fund is exempt from the application of Sections |
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403.095 and 404.071. |
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(e) Money in the fund may be used only for the purposes of |
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this subchapter. |
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Sec. 403.453. RULES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF FUND. (a) After |
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consultation with the commissioner of education and the State Board |
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of Education, the comptroller shall adopt rules for the awarding of |
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grants from the fund for eligible elementary and secondary students |
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for academic achievement. |
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(b) At a minimum, the rules must provide that a student is |
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eligible for a grant only if the student is at least 5 years of age, |
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is less than 19 years of age, is enrolled in a Texas elementary or |
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secondary school, and has demonstrated continuing academic |
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achievement. The comptroller shall define the term "academic |
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achievement" in the rules. |
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(c) The rules shall determine whether a student is eligible |
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for more than one grant from the fund, may limit use of a grant, and |
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may further condition the awarding of grants under the program, |
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which conditions may include considerations of need. |
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(d) The rules must include provisions for financial |
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accountability and reporting of eligibility status. |
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SECTION 2. The comptroller shall adopt initial rules under |
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Section 403.453, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as is |
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practicable after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
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this section, this Act takes effect immediately if it receives a |
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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. |
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(b) This Act does not make an appropriation. This Act takes |
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effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of |
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the Act is provided in a general appropriations act of the 82nd |
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Legislature. |