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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship |
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Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a |
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student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by |
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this section. The agreement must require the student to: |
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(1) complete: |
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(A) one year of ROTC training for each year that |
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the student receives the scholarship, up to a maximum requirement |
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of four years of ROTC training; or |
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(B) [complete] another undergraduate officer |
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commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps |
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Platoon Leaders Class; |
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(2) graduate not later than six years after the date |
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the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of |
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higher education in this state; |
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(3) after graduation, enter into: |
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(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the |
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Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State |
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Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine; |
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or |
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(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer |
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in any branch of the armed services of the United States; |
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(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all |
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other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard, |
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Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast |
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Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed |
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services with which the student enters into a contract; and |
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(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student: |
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(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic |
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progress; |
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(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or |
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(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract |
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described by Subdivision (3). |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended |
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by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services |
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Scholarship awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year. A Texas Armed |
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Services Scholarship awarded for an academic year before that |
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academic year is governed by the law in effect when the scholarship |
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was awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the administration of Section 61.9773(a), |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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this Act takes effect. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2021. |