87R2135 KSD-F
 
  By: Thierry H.B. No. 214
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public
  institutions of higher education who are homeless or who are or were
  in foster care.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.9356, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 51.9356.  DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST
  STUDENTS WHO ARE OR WERE IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a) In
  this section:
               (1)  "Institution[, "institution] of higher education"
  has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
               (2)  "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
  assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
  Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
  housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
  during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
  terms.
         (b)  Each institution of higher education shall designate at
  least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer
  for current and incoming:
               (1)  students [at the institution] who are or were
  [formerly] in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and
  Protective Services; and
               (2)  students who are homeless.
         (c)  To the extent allowed by state or federal law, an [the]
  institution of higher education shall identify [those] students
  described by Subsection (b) from information provided to the
  institution in admission or financial aid applications or other
  available resources.
         (d)  An institution of higher education may designate under
  Subsection (b) the same employee or employees to act as liaison
  officer for each student population described in that subsection or
  one or more different employees to act as liaison officer for each
  of those student populations separately. 
         (e) [(c)]  Each semester or other academic term, an
  institution of higher education shall provide to the institution's
  liaison officer or officers the names of and information regarding
  the students described by Subsection (b) for whom the officer is
  designated.
         (f)  A [(d) The] liaison officer shall provide to the
  students described by Subsection (b) for whom the officer is
  designated information regarding support services including
  financial aid, on-campus and off-campus housing, food and meal
  programs, and counseling services, [and] other resources available
  to the students at the institution of higher education, and any
  other relevant information to assist the students.
         (g)  A [(e) The] liaison officer may participate in any
  training that enables the officer to carry out the officer's duties
  and coordinate with liaison officers at other educational
  institutions.
         (h) [(f)]  Each institution of higher education shall
  publicize, including through the institution's Internet website,
  social media, electronic mail, or other means of communication used
  by the institution:
               (1)  the name of and contact information for the
  institution's liaison officer or officers; and
               (2)  information regarding support services and other
  resources available at the institution to the students described by
  Subsection (b).
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 51.978, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.978.  TEMPORARY HOUSING BETWEEN ACADEMIC TERMS FOR
  CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO WERE [FORMERLY] UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP OF
  DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES OR WHO ARE HOMELESS.
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.978(a), Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
               (3)  "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
  assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
  Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
  housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
  during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
  terms.
         SECTION 4.  Section 51.978(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  To be eligible to receive housing assistance from an
  institution of higher education under Subsection (c), a student
  must:
               (1)  be:
                     (A)  a student who has [have] been under the
  conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services
  or its predecessor in function on the day preceding:
                           (i) [(A)]  the student's 18th birthday; or
                           (ii) [(B)]  the date the student's
  disabilities of minority are removed by a court under Chapter 31,
  Family Code; or
                     (B)  a student who is homeless;
               (2)  be enrolled full-time at the institution during
  the academic term immediately preceding the period for which the
  student requests the housing assistance;
               (3)  be registered or otherwise have taken the actions
  required by the institution to permit the student to enroll
  full-time at the institution during the academic term immediately
  following the period for which the student requests the housing
  assistance; and
               (4)  lack other reasonable temporary housing
  alternatives between the academic terms described by Subdivisions
  (2) and (3), as determined by the institution.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.9781 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.9781.  PRIORITY ACCESS TO STUDENT HOUSING FOR
  STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 61.003.
               (2)  "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
  assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
  Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
  housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
  during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
  terms.
         (b)  Each institution of higher education that maintains
  student housing facilities shall give priority in the assignment of
  housing in those facilities to students who are homeless.
         SECTION 6.  Section 61.0908, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0908.  DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST
  STUDENTS WHO WERE [FORMERLY] IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS.
  (a) In this section, "students who are homeless" has the meaning
  assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
  Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
  housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
  during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
  terms.
         (b)  The board shall designate at least one employee of the
  board to act as a liaison officer for the following current and
  incoming students at institutions of higher education:
               (1)  students who were formerly in the conservatorship
  of the Department of Family and Protective Services; and
               (2)  students who are homeless.
         (c)  The board may designate under Subsection (b) the same
  employee or employees to act as liaison officer for each student
  population described in that subsection or one or more different
  employees to act as liaison officer for each of those student
  populations separately. A [The] liaison officer shall assist the
  students for whom the officer is designated in coordinating college
  readiness and student success efforts relating to the [those]
  students.
         SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act apply
  beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year.
         SECTION 8.  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, 2021.