87R10428 CXP-D
 
  By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 2815
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to eligibility for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship
  Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a
  student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by
  this section. The agreement must require the student to:
               (1)  complete:
                     (A)  one year of ROTC training for each year that
  the student receives the scholarship, up to a maximum requirement
  of four years of ROTC training; or
                     (B)  [complete] another undergraduate officer
  commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps
  Platoon Leaders Class;
               (2)  graduate not later than six years after the date
  the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of
  higher education in this state;
               (3)  after graduation, enter into:
                     (A)  a four-year commitment to be a member of the
  Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State
  Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;
  or
                     (B)  a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
  in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
               (4)  meet the physical examination requirements and all
  other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,
  Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast
  Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed
  services with which the student enters into a contract; and
               (5)  agree to repay the scholarship if the student:
                     (A)  fails to maintain satisfactory academic
  progress;
                     (B)  withdraws from the scholarship program; or
                     (C)  fails to fulfill a commitment or contract
  described by Subdivision (3).
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services
  Scholarship awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year. A Texas Armed
  Services Scholarship awarded for an academic year before that
  academic year is governed by the law in effect when the scholarship
  was awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules for the administration of Section 61.9773(a),
  Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after
  this Act takes effect.
         SECTION 4.  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.