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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for a TEXAS Grant and to administration of |
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the TEXAS grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 56.304, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) A person may not receive a TEXAS grant for more than the |
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lesser of: |
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(1) 135[150] semester credit hours or the equivalent; |
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or |
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(2) 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent in |
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excess of the degree requirements of the degree the person is |
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seeking. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.3041, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person |
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graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling |
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in an eligible institution must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by |
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Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows: |
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(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited |
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private high school in this state who completed the foundation high |
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school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent |
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and have accomplished any two or more of the following: |
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(i) successful completion of the course |
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requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or |
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earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of |
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college credit in high school through courses described in Sections |
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28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3); |
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(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success |
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Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the |
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coordinating board under Section 51.3062(f) on any assessment |
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instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section |
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51.3062(c) or qualification for an exemption as described by |
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Section 51.3062(p), (q), or (q-1); |
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(iii) graduation in the top one-third of |
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the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high |
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school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point |
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scale or the equivalent; or |
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(iv) completion for high school credit of |
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at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful |
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completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career |
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and technical or technology applications course; |
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(B) have received an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education; |
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(C) be an undergraduate student who has: |
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(i) previously attended another |
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institution of higher education; |
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(ii) received an initial Texas Educational |
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Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a |
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subsequent academic term; |
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(iii) completed at least 30[24] semester |
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credit hours at any institution or institutions of higher |
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education; and |
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(iv) earned an overall grade point average |
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of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all |
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course work previously attempted; or |
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(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the |
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eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A); |
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(3) meet financial need requirements established by |
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the coordinating board; |
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(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or |
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certificate program at an eligible institution; |
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(5) except as provided under rules adopted under |
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Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as: |
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(A) an entering undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the |
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calendar month in which the person graduated from high school; |
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(B) an entering undergraduate student who |
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entered military service not later than the first anniversary of |
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the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for |
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at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12 |
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months after being honorably discharged from military service; |
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(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the |
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calendar month in which the person received an associate degree |
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from a public or private institution of higher education; or |
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(D) an undergraduate student described by |
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Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant; |
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(6) have applied for any available financial aid or |
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assistance; and |
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(7) comply with any additional nonacademic |
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requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. Section 56.305, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e-2) to read as follows: |
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(e-2) For purposes of this section, a person who is |
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initially awarded a TEXAS grant during or after the 2017 fall |
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semester makes satisfactory academic progress toward an |
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undergraduate degree or certificate only if: |
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(1) in the person's first academic year the person |
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meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the |
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institution at which the person is enrolled; and |
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(2) in a subsequent academic year, the person: |
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(A) completed at least 30 semester credit hours |
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in the student's most recent academic year; and |
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(B) has earned an overall grade point average of |
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at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework |
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previously attempted at institutions of higher education. |
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SECTION 4. Section 56.307, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (f), adding Subsection (f-1), and amending |
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Subsection (j) to read as follows: |
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(f) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not be reduced by any |
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gift aid for which the person receiving the grant is eligible, other |
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than a federal Pell Grant, unless the total amount of a person's |
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grant plus any gift aid received exceeds the student's financial |
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need. |
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(f-1) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not exceed the |
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student's total cost of tuition and fees, plus a book stipend. |
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(j) A public institution of higher education shall use other |
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available sources of financial aid, other than a loan or |
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participation in a work-study program, to cover any difference in |
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the amount of a TEXAS grant awarded to the student and the actual |
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amount of tuition and required fees at the institution if the |
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difference results from: |
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(1) a reduction in the amount of a TEXAS grant under |
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Subsection (i-1); or |
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(2) a deficiency in the amount of the grant as |
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established under Subsection (a) or (e), as applicable, to cover |
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the full amount of tuition and required fees charged to the student |
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by the institution. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for the |
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2017 fall semester. Initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for |
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a semester or term before the 2017 fall semester are governed by the |
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applicable law in effect immediately before the effective date of |
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this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2017. |