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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 STEM Excellence Graduate |
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Fellowship 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 W to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER W. STEM EXCELLENCE GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.931. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Program" means the STEM Excellence Graduate |
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Fellowship program established under this subchapter. |
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(2) "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, |
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and mathematics. |
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Sec. 61.932. ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The STEM |
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Excellence Graduate Fellowship program is established as a |
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merit-based fellowship for high-achieving research doctoral |
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students in a STEM field. |
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(b) Using money appropriated or otherwise available for the |
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purpose, the board shall award fellowships to eligible students |
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under the program to conduct research at a general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(c) The board shall administer the program. The board may |
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contract with one or more general academic teaching institutions to |
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assist in administering the program, including receiving and |
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reviewing applications, recommending the distribution of funds to |
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general academic teaching institutions, and developing criteria |
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for the selection of students for the program. |
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(d) The board may establish one or more advisory committees |
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for the purpose of recommending rules for the administration of the |
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program. |
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Sec. 61.933. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be initially |
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eligible for a fellowship, a student must: |
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(1) be a United States citizen; |
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(2) obtain the federal security clearance required for |
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the research the student would be performing under the fellowship, |
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if applicable; |
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(3) be a high-achieving student, as determined by the |
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institution in which the student is enrolled, based on criteria the |
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institution would otherwise use to award merit-based aid, including |
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grades, test scores, work, internship, or other experience, |
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scholarships or awards received, or prior research or publication |
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by the student; |
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(4) be enrolled in a research doctoral degree program |
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in a STEM field at a general academic teaching institution; and |
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(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by |
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the board. |
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(b) The board may give preference to a student who is a |
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resident of this state under Subchapter B, Chapter 54. |
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Sec. 61.934. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. (a) After |
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establishing initial eligibility to participate in the program |
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under Section 61.933, a student may continue participating in the |
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program only if the student: |
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(1) maintains a minimum overall grade point average |
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determined by board rule; |
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(2) maintains the required federal security clearance |
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for the research the student is conducting under the fellowship, if |
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applicable; and |
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(3) complies with any additional requirement adopted |
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by the board. |
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(b) A student may not receive a fellowship under the program |
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for more than five years. |
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Sec. 61.935. 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. 61.936. RULES. (a) The board, in consultation with |
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general academic teaching institutions, 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 fellowship awarded under the |
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program. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 61.033, the board is not |
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required to use negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter |
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2008, Government Code, for the adoption of rules under this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to implement Subchapter W, Chapter 61, |
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Education Code, as added by 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, 2025. |