| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 3951 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | relating to requiring a public institution of higher education to |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | designate or employ a person trained in student financial |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | assistance programs for military veterans and their families. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 56.006 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 56.006. EMPLOYEE TRAINED IN STUDENT FINANCIAL |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILIES. (a) Each |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | institution of higher education shall ensure that one or more |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | persons employed by the institution is trained: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | (1) in understanding state and federal student |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | financial assistance programs available to military veterans or |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | their family members, especially programs specifically applicable |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | to military veterans or their family members; and |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (2) in assisting military veterans and eligible family |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | members in understanding and obtaining the benefits available under |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | those programs. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (b) A person described by Subsection (a) must be available |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | to assist persons as described by Subsection (a)(2) during regular |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | business hours at the financial aid or other office to which the |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | person is assigned. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. A public institution of higher education shall |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | comply with Section 56.006, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | concerning employment of a person to provide student financial |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | assistance for military veterans and their families not later than |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | January 1, 2010. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | I certify that H.B. No. 3951 was passed by the House on May 6, |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 109, Nays 36, 2 present, not |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | No. 3951 on May 21, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 1 present, not voting. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | I certify that H.B. No. 3951 was passed by the Senate, with |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | amendments, on May 18, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 2. |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | APPROVED: __________________ |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | Date |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | __________________ |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | Governor |
|---|