86R3156 SOS-F
 
  By: Leman H.B. No. 539
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the automatic admission to general academic teaching
  institutions and eligibility for certain scholarships of a student
  who is the valedictorian of the student's high school graduating
  class.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d-1) and amending Subsection (h) to read as
  follows:
         (d-1)  In addition to admissions required under Subsection
  (a), each general academic teaching institution shall admit an
  applicant for admission to the institution as an undergraduate
  student if the applicant graduated as the valedictorian of the
  student's high school graduating class in one of the two school
  years preceding the academic year for which the student is applying
  for admission and satisfies the requirements of Subsections (a)(1)
  through (3). Subsection (b) applies to an applicant for admission
  under this subsection.
         (h)  An institution that admits under this section an
  applicant qualified for automatic admission under Subsection (a) or
  (d-1) may admit the applicant for either the fall semester of the
  academic year for which the applicant applies or for the summer
  session preceding that fall semester, as determined by the
  institution.
         SECTION 2.  Section 56.484, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 56.484.  INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP. To be
  eligible for a scholarship under this subchapter, a student must:
               (1)  have graduated from a public or accredited private
  high school in this state while ranked in the top 10 percent or as
  the valedictorian of the student's graduating class, subject to
  Section 56.487(b);
               (2)  have completed the recommended or advanced high
  school curriculum established under Section 28.025 or its
  equivalent;
               (3)  have applied for admission as a first-time
  freshman student for the 2010-2011 academic year or a subsequent
  academic year to an institution of higher education that has
  elected to offer admissions for that academic year to applicants as
  provided by Section 51.803(a-1);
               (4)  enroll as a first-time freshman student in an
  institution of higher education not later than the 16th month after
  the date of the student's high school graduation;
               (5)  have been awarded a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M
  for the same semester or other academic term for which the
  scholarship will be awarded;
               (6)  be a Texas resident under Section 54.052; and
               (7)  comply with any other eligibility requirements
  established by coordinating board rule.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section
  51.803, Education Code, apply beginning with admissions to a
  general academic teaching institution for the 2019-2020 academic
  year. Admissions to a general academic teaching institution for an
  academic year before that academic year are governed by the law in
  effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  56.484, Education Code, applies beginning with scholarships
  awarded for the 2019-2020 academic year.  Scholarships awarded for
  an academic year before that academic year are governed by the law
  in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  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, 2019.