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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 56.405(f), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(f) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a |
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person who is otherwise eligible to receive a grant under this |
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subchapter, in the event of a hardship or for other good cause |
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shown, including a showing of a severe illness or other |
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debilitating condition that may affect the person's academic |
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performance or that the person is responsible for the care of a |
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sick, injured, or needy person and that the person's provision of |
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care may affect the person's academic performance, to receive a |
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grant under this subchapter: |
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(1) while enrolled in a number of semester credit |
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hours that is less than the number of semester credit hours required |
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under Subsection (a)(3); [or] |
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(2) if the student's grade point average or completion |
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rate falls below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of |
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Subsection (d); |
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(3) for a number of semester credit hours that is |
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greater than the number of semester credit hours permitted under |
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Section 56.404(d); or |
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(4) for a number of years that is greater than the |
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number of years for which the person is eligible to receive a grant |
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under Section 56.404(f). |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.406, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.406. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under |
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this subchapter may use the money only to pay the amount of tuition |
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and required fees and the cost of required textbooks [any usual and
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customary cost of attendance] at an eligible institution incurred |
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by the student. The institution may disburse all or part of the |
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proceeds of a grant under this subchapter to an eligible person only |
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if the tuition and required fees incurred by the person at the |
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institution have been paid. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 56.407(a), (c), and (g), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The amount of a grant awarded to a student under this |
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subchapter for a semester or other academic term [student enrolled
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full-time at an eligible institution] is an [the] amount not to |
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exceed the lesser of: |
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(1) the difference between: |
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(A) [determined by the coordinating board as] the |
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[average statewide] amount of tuition and required fees incurred by |
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the student at an eligible institution for that semester or term |
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plus a textbook stipend in an amount determined by the coordinating |
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board; and |
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(B) the amount of the Pell Grant for which the |
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student is eligible, if any; or |
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(2) the student's unmet financial need for that |
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semester or term [that a resident student enrolled full-time in an
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associate degree or certificate program would be charged for that
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semester or term at eligible institutions]. |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (a)(1), the [The] |
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amount of a grant under this subchapter may not be reduced by any |
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gift aid for which the person receiving the grant is eligible, |
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unless the total amount of a person's grant plus any gift aid |
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received exceeds the student's financial need [total cost of
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attendance at an eligible institution]. |
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(g) An institution may use other available sources of |
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financial aid, other than a loan or work-study program [a Pell
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grant], to cover any difference in the amount of a grant under this |
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subchapter and the actual amount of tuition and required fees at the |
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institution. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 56.407(b) and (d), Education Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with initial or subsequent grants awarded for the 2018 |
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fall semester. Initial or subsequent grants awarded for a semester |
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or term before the 2018 fall semester are governed by the applicable |
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law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018. |