| 1 | 1 | | 81R27802 JSA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Naishtat H.B. No. 4556 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4556: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Howard of Travis C.S.H.B. No. 4556 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to measures to promote the pursuit of higher education by |
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| 10 | 10 | | AmeriCorps participants. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 61.0904 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 61.0904. INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION BY |
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| 15 | 15 | | AMERICORPS PARTICIPANTS. (a) The board shall develop measures to |
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| 16 | 16 | | promote the pursuit of postsecondary education at institutions of |
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| 17 | 17 | | higher education by current or former AmeriCorps participants. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The board shall coordinate with institutions of higher |
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| 19 | 19 | | education to promote the inclusion of information regarding the |
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| 20 | 20 | | availability of Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to AmeriCorps |
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| 21 | 21 | | participants in written materials provided to prospective students |
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| 22 | 22 | | and in financial aid application or informational materials. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) Using money available to the board for student financial |
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| 24 | 24 | | aid, including any money appropriated for purposes of this section |
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| 25 | 25 | | or other money available to the board, including gifts, grants, |
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| 26 | 26 | | donations, or federal funds, the board may develop and administer a |
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| 27 | 27 | | program of financial assistance or other measures as the board |
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| 28 | 28 | | considers appropriate to provide incentives to AmeriCorps |
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| 29 | 29 | | participants to pursue postsecondary education at institutions of |
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| 30 | 30 | | higher education. The program may include scholarships, grants |
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| 31 | 31 | | that match any money received from a Segal AmeriCorps Education |
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| 32 | 32 | | Award, or other incentives such as reimbursement to institutions |
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| 33 | 33 | | that waive application fees or other costs for applicants or |
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| 34 | 34 | | students who are current or former AmeriCorps participants. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) The board shall examine whether, consistent with |
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| 36 | 36 | | applicable academic standards, it is feasible for institutions of |
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| 37 | 37 | | higher education to grant academic credit for all or part of a |
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| 38 | 38 | | student's AmeriCorps service, and shall make recommendations for |
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| 39 | 39 | | that purpose to institutions consistent with the board's findings. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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