89R13931 KJE-D

By: Reynolds H.B. No. 3296

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a higher education consortium for civic education and a grant program for that consortium.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Q, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER Q. CIVIC EDUCATION CONSORTIUM AND GRANT [TEXAS

PARTNERSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP] PROGRAM

Sec. 61.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "consortium" means the consortium of colleges and universities established under Section 61.802.

Sec. 61.802. CONSORTIUM. (a) A consortium of colleges and universities is established to provide civic education to residents of this state at no cost to the student.

(b) To be eligible to participate in the consortium, a college or university must:

(1) be located in this state;

(2) be designated as a historically black college or university;

(3) be accredited by a recognized accrediting agency; and

(4) for an institution of higher education, comply with all applicable state and federal laws.

Sec. 61.803. CIVIC EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall establish a grant program under which the board awards grants to colleges and universities in the consortium to provide civic education to residents of this state at no cost to the student. A grant awarded under the grant program may be for a one-year term or for a term of more than one year.

(b) A college or university in the consortium that receives a grant under the grant program shall partner with a municipality, county, community organization, public library, institution of higher education, or private or independent institution of higher education to provide the civic education described by Subsection (a) through existing community programs and initiatives.

(c) Money received under the grant program may be used only for the following purposes as related to civic education described by Subsection (a):

(1) for colleges and universities in the consortium:

(A) faculty and staff recruitment, development, and retention;

(B) upgrades and support for research, curriculum development and instruction, and technological advancements; and

(C) infrastructure improvements;

(2) for community partners described by Subsection (b):

(A) staffing, including training to build civic education expertise;

(B) infrastructure and program implementation;

(C) the creation of digital resources and virtual programming to expand accessibility; and

(D) support for hosting civic education events, including voter registration drives and workshops;

(3) support services for recruitment, development, and retention of students; and

(4) a broad framework of civic education models and practices to be used as the basis for curriculum and instruction statewide.

(d) Civic education offered under the grant program must be made available across the state, with resources directed to both urban and rural communities.

(e) The board shall require a college or university in the consortium that receives a grant under the grant program to regularly report the college's or university's progress in providing civic education described by Subsection (a).

Sec. 61.804. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The board shall establish an oversight committee to monitor the consortium and implementation of the grant program under Section 61.803.

(b) The oversight committee must consist of representatives of:

(1) colleges and universities located in this state and designated as historically black colleges and universities;

(2) municipalities;

(3) counties; and

(4) public libraries.

(c) The oversight committee shall evaluate the civic education provided by the consortium under this subchapter at least once every three years. The committee must consider:

(1) student competencies and skills growth;

(2) enrollment and completion rates; and

(3) community and economic impacts.

(d) The consortium shall contract with an independent third-party evaluator to evaluate the civic education provided by the consortium under this subchapter on the schedule described by Subsection (c) and report the evaluator's findings to the oversight committee and the consortium.

Sec. 61.805. CONSORTIUM RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The consortium may make recommendations to the oversight committee for the provision of civic education under the grant program established under Section 61.803. The recommendations must address community needs, including state and local workforce development.

(b) The oversight committee must approve a recommendation of the consortium before grant funding under Section 61.803 may be spent in accordance with that recommendation.

Sec. 61.806. GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS. The board shall encourage the consortium to seek gifts, grants, or donations, including matching funds from federal programs, from any public or private source to support civic education under this subchapter.

Sec. 61.807. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year.

SECTION 3. 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, 2025.