By: Bonnen H.B. No. 5333

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of the STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship Program.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter T-4 to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER T-4. STEM EXCELLENCE GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Sec. 61. . PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to identify and retain high-achieving students in research doctoral degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM-fields) to further Texas' economic success. This program will allow Texas to bolster its research institutions by continuing to attract the best and brightest students, researchers, and faculty to Texas' record number of tier one and tier two research institutions. Attracting and retaining high-achieving doctoral students will allow these to unlock their potential and support state goals for building a talent-strong Texas.

Sec. 61. . DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship" means a scholarship awarded to a graduate student enrolled in a research doctoral program in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics under the program.

(2) "Program" means the STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship Program established as a competitive grant award under this subchapter.

Sec. 61. . ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship is established as a competitive grant program to serve as a merit-based scholarship for high-achieving STEM-field research doctoral students.

(b) Using money appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the Coordinating Board shall award funding to institutions of higher education to be used as fellowships to eligible students under the program.

(c) The Coordinating Board shall administer the program as a competitive grant award program. The board may contract with one or more institutions of higher education to assist in administering the program, including receiving and reviewing applications, recommending the distribution of funds to institutions of higher education, and developing criteria for the selection of students for the program.

(d) The board may establish one or more advisory committees for the purpose of recommending rules for the administration of the program.

Sec. 61. . INITIAL ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be initially eligible for the award of a STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship, a student must:

(1) Be a U.S. citizen;

(2) Submit to an FBI background check and not be ineligible for a federal security clearance based on the background check;

(3) Be a high-achieving student as determined by the eligible institution in which the student is enrolled, based on criteria the institution would otherwise use to award merit-based aid, including the student's grades; test scores; work, internship, or other experience; other scholarships or awards the student received; or the student's prior research or publication;

(4) Be enrolled in a STEM-field research doctoral degree program at a general academic teaching institution; and

(5) Comply with any additional requirement adopted by the board.

(b) The board may give preference to students who qualify to pay Texas resident tuition.

Sec. 61. . CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. After establishing initial eligibility to participate in the program under Section 61. , a student may continue participating in the program only if the student:

(1) Maintains all eligibility criteria under 61. ;

(2) Maintains a minimum overall grade point average determined by board rule; and

(3) Complies with any additional requirement adopted by the board.

Sec. 61. . GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may solicit, accept, and spend grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of the program.

Sec. 61. . RULES. (a) The board, in consultation with general academic teaching institutions, shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, including rules providing for the amount and permissible uses of a scholarship awarded under the program. The rules must provide that:

(1) A student meet the criteria established in section 61. ; and

(2) A student may not receive a scholarship under the program for more than five years.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 61.033, the board is not required to use negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code, for the adoption of rules under this subchapter.

SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter T-4, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.

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.