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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Leadership Scholars |
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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. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter T-3 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER T-3. TEXAS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARS PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.891. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program" |
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means the Texas Leadership Scholars Program established under this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.892. ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The Texas |
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Leadership Scholars Program is established to serve as a |
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merit-based scholarship and leadership opportunity program for |
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high-achieving, emerging leaders with financial need. |
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(b) The board shall administer the program. |
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(c) Using money appropriated or otherwise available for the |
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purpose, the board shall award scholarships and provide academic |
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achievement support and leadership development to eligible |
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students under the program. |
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Sec. 61.893. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY. To be initially eligible |
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to participate in the program, a student must: |
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(1) have graduated from a public high school in this |
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state; |
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(2) either: |
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(A) have qualified for automatic admission to a |
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general academic teaching institution under Section 51.803; or |
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(B) be nominated by the student's high school for |
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participation in the program and hold another academic distinction |
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recognized by the board; |
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(3) be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a |
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general academic teaching institution; |
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(4) be economically disadvantaged, as determined by |
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board rule; and |
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(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by |
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the board. |
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Sec. 61.894. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. After establishing |
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initial eligibility to participate in the program under Section |
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61.893, a student may continue participating in the program only if |
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the student: |
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(1) is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a |
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general academic teaching institution; |
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(2) maintains a minimum overall grade point average |
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determined by board rule; and |
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(3) complies with any additional requirement adopted |
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by the board. |
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Sec. 61.895. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP |
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DEVELOPMENT. The board may enter into agreements with general |
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academic teaching institutions or other institutions of higher |
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education to provide students participating in the program with: |
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(1) research-based support to make satisfactory |
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academic progress and graduate on time; and |
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(2) leadership development opportunities, including: |
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(A) program cohort learning communities; |
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(B) mentoring, research, and internship |
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opportunities; |
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(C) networking with state government, business, |
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and civic leaders; and |
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(D) statewide cohort learning institutes or |
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seminars. |
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Sec. 61.896. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may |
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solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any |
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public or private source for the purposes of the program. |
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Sec. 61.897. RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the |
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administration of the program, including rules providing for the |
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amount and permissible uses of a scholarship awarded under the |
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program. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-3, Chapter 61, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2023. |