| 1 | 1 | | 81R11167 CAS-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Shapiro S.B. No. 1559 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the public awareness campaign promoting higher |
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| 8 | 8 | | education. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 61.9701(a), Education Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) The board, in conjunction with the Texas Education |
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| 13 | 13 | | Agency, shall establish a statewide public awareness campaign to |
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| 14 | 14 | | promote the value and availability of higher education. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Sections 61.9702 and 61.9703, Education Code, |
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| 16 | 16 | | are amended to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 61.9702. TARGET AUDIENCE. (a) The campaign |
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| 18 | 18 | | established by the board must target [primary and secondary school] |
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| 19 | 19 | | students in the 7th through 12th grade levels. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The board shall give priority to reaching [primary and |
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| 21 | 21 | | secondary school] students from groups or backgrounds that are |
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| 22 | 22 | | traditionally underrepresented in higher education, especially |
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| 23 | 23 | | students who are educationally disadvantaged, as defined by Section |
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| 24 | 24 | | 5.001. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 61.9703. COORDINATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES [AGENCIES]. |
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| 26 | 26 | | The board shall [may] coordinate with the Texas Education Agency, |
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| 27 | 27 | | the P-16 Council established under Section 61.076, and other |
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| 28 | 28 | | appropriate entities, including businesses, [other agencies as |
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| 29 | 29 | | necessary] to develop and implement the public awareness campaign |
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| 30 | 30 | | in order to send a strong message concerning the importance of |
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| 31 | 31 | | higher education. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter CC, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 33 | 33 | | amended by adding Section 61.97031 to read as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | Sec. 61.97031. CAMPAIGN DESIGN CRITERIA. The board, in |
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| 35 | 35 | | conjunction with those entities with which the board coordinates |
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| 36 | 36 | | under Section 61.9703, shall: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) annually hold, on campuses of various institutions |
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| 38 | 38 | | of higher education, meetings of students described by Section |
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| 39 | 39 | | 61.9702 and their parents to explain: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (A) financial aid opportunities that may make |
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| 41 | 41 | | attending an institution of higher education affordable; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (B) the reasons that higher education is |
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| 43 | 43 | | important; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (C) secondary education courses that may help to |
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| 45 | 45 | | prepare students to succeed at institutions of higher education; |
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| 46 | 46 | | and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) develop support mechanisms for parents of students |
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| 48 | 48 | | described by Section 61.9702 to: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (A) assist the parents with understanding and |
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| 50 | 50 | | completing the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA); |
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| 51 | 51 | | and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (B) familiarize the parents with the actions |
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| 53 | 53 | | necessary for students to be prepared for, apply to, and attend |
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| 54 | 54 | | institutions of higher education. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
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| 56 | 56 | | amended by adding Section 56.005 to read as follows: |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 56.005. ADDITIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM. The |
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| 58 | 58 | | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in consultation with the |
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| 59 | 59 | | Texas Education Agency, shall develop a student financial aid |
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| 60 | 60 | | program designed: |
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| 61 | 61 | | (1) to provide financial aid in addition to: |
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| 62 | 62 | | (A) any aid provided under other state financial |
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| 63 | 63 | | aid programs; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (B) any aid provided under federal financial aid |
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| 65 | 65 | | programs; and |
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| 66 | 66 | | (C) any contributions from parents; and |
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| 67 | 67 | | (2) to provide financial aid to students who: |
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| 68 | 68 | | (A) have met the curriculum requirements for the |
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| 69 | 69 | | recommended or advanced high school program as determined under |
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| 70 | 70 | | Section 28.025; and |
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| 71 | 71 | | (B) have not been convicted of a criminal offense |
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| 72 | 72 | | or found under Section 54.03, Family Code, to have engaged in |
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| 73 | 73 | | delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision. |
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| 74 | 74 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 75 | 75 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 76 | 76 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 77 | 77 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 78 | 78 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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