Amend SB 18 (senate committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the SECTIONS of the bill appropriately:
SECTION ____. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter U to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS STUDENTS FIRST GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 56.641. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(3) "Eligible institution" means a general academic teaching institution that satisfies the requirements of Section 56.644.
(4) "Program" means the Texas Students First Grant Program established under this subchapter.
(5) "Tuition" includes:
(A) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by Chapter 54; and
(B) tuition charged by a general academic teaching institution under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an institution to establish tuition rates.
Sec. 56.642. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Students First Grant Program is to provide financial assistance to students with financial need at general academic teaching institutions that have successfully controlled tuition costs charged to students at the institution.
Sec. 56.643. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; PRIORITY FOR GRANT AWARDS. (a) The coordinating board shall:
(1) administer the program;
(2) adopt rules for determining the allocation of funds under the program among eligible institutions; and
(3) adopt any other rules necessary to implement the program or this subchapter.
(b) The coordinating board shall consult with the student financial aid officers of eligible institutions in developing rules adopted under Subsection (a).
(c) In awarding grants under the program, priority shall be given to eligible students whose cost for tuition and required fees is not fully met through other non-loan financial assistance programs.
Sec. 56.644. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS. (a) A general academic teaching institution is eligible to participate in the program for an academic year only if the total amount of tuition charged by the institution to each student for that academic year is at least five percent less than the total amount of tuition that the institution would have charged to a similarly situated student for the 2017-2018 academic year.
(b) For purposes of this section, students are similarly situated if they share the same residency status, degree program, course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student.
Sec. 56.645. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. To be eligible for a grant under the program, a person must:
(1) be a resident of this state as determined by coordinating board rules;
(2) be enrolled as an undergraduate student at an eligible institution;
(3) meet financial need requirements as defined by coordinating board rules; and
(4) comply with any additional requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.
Sec. 56.646. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under this subchapter may use the money only to pay the amount of tuition and required fees and the cost of required textbooks incurred by the student at an eligible institution.
Sec. 56.647. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The coordinating board by rule shall prescribe the maximum amount of a grant awarded to a person under the program for a semester or other academic term.
(b) The total amount of grants awarded under the program may not exceed the amount available for the program from appropriations, gifts, grants, or other funds.
Sec. 56.648. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
(b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes of this subchapter.
SECTION ____. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter U, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.