By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 33

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for a TEXAS Grant and to administration of the TEXAS grant program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 56.304, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) A person may not receive a TEXAS grant for more than the lesser of:

(1) 135[150] semester credit hours or the equivalent; or

(2) 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent in excess of the degree requirements of the degree the person is seeking.

SECTION 2. Section 56.3041, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) to read as follows:

(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling in an eligible institution must:

(1) be a resident of this state as determined by coordinating board rules;

(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows:

(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited private high school in this state who completed the foundation high school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent and have accomplished any two or more of the following:

(i) successful completion of the course requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of college credit in high school through courses described in Sections 28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3);

(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the coordinating board under Section 51.3062(f) on any assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section 51.3062(c) or qualification for an exemption as described by Section 51.3062(p), (q), or (q-1);

(iii) graduation in the top one-third of the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent; or

(iv) completion for high school credit of at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career and technical or technology applications course;

(B) have received an associate degree from a public or private institution of higher education;

(C) be an undergraduate student who has:

(i) previously attended another institution of higher education;

(ii) received an initial Texas Educational Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a subsequent academic term;

(iii) completed at least 30[24] semester credit hours at any institution or institutions of higher education; and

(iv) earned an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all course work previously attempted; or

(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A);

(3) meet financial need requirements established by the coordinating board;

(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program at an eligible institution;

(5) except as provided under rules adopted under Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as:

(A) an entering undergraduate student for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the calendar month in which the person graduated from high school;

(B) an entering undergraduate student who entered military service not later than the first anniversary of the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12 months after being honorably discharged from military service;

(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the calendar month in which the person received an associate degree from a public or private institution of higher education; or

(D) an undergraduate student described by Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant;

(6) have applied for any available financial aid or assistance; and

(7) comply with any additional nonacademic requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.

SECTION 3. Section 56.305, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (e-2) to read as follows:

(e-2) For purposes of this section, a person who is initially awarded a TEXAS grant during or after the 2017 fall semester makes satisfactory academic progress toward an undergraduate degree or certificate only if:

(1) in the person's first academic year the person meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the institution at which the person is enrolled; and

(2) in a subsequent academic year, the person:

(A) completed at least 30 semester credit hours in the student's most recent academic year; and

(B) has earned an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework previously attempted at institutions of higher education.

SECTION 4. Section 56.307, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (f), adding Subsection (f-1), and amending Subsection (j) to read as follows:

(f) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not be reduced by any gift aid for which the person receiving the grant is eligible, other than a federal Pell Grant, unless the total amount of a person's grant plus any gift aid received exceeds the student's financial need.

(f-1) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not exceed the student's total cost of tuition and fees, plus a book stipend.

(j) A public institution of higher education shall use other available sources of financial aid, other than a loan or participation in a work-study program, to cover any difference in the amount of a TEXAS grant awarded to the student and the actual amount of tuition and required fees at the institution if the difference results from:

(1) a reduction in the amount of a TEXAS grant under Subsection (i-1); or

(2) a deficiency in the amount of the grant as established under Subsection (a) or (e), as applicable, to cover the full amount of tuition and required fees charged to the student by the institution.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for the 2017 fall semester. Initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for a semester or term before the 2017 fall semester are governed by the applicable law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. 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, 2017.