By: Gonzales of Williamson H.B. No. 3577
(Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini)
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2011;
April 29, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 12, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0;
May 12, 2011, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3577 By: Zaffirini
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to priority consideration and eligibility for Texas
Educational Opportunity Grants, TEXAS grants, and other state
financial aid.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 56.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 56.007. PRIORITY DEADLINE FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by
rule shall provide for a uniform priority application deadline for
applications for financial assistance for an academic year.
(b) The priority deadline may not serve as a determination
of eligibility for state financial assistance, but otherwise
eligible applicants who apply on or before the deadline shall be
given priority consideration for available state financial
assistance before other applicants.
(c) The coordinating board shall consult with financial aid
personnel at institutions of higher education in adopting rules
providing for the deadline required under this section.
(d) This section only applies to a general academic teaching
institution as defined by Section 61.003.
SECTION 2. Section 56.404(e), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) A person may not receive a grant under this subchapter
and [if the person is eligible for] a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M
for the same semester or other term, regardless of whether the
person is otherwise eligible for both grants during that semester
or term. A person who but for this subsection would be awarded both
a grant under this subchapter and a TEXAS grant for the same
semester or other term is entitled to receive only the grant of the
greater amount.
SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by Section 56.007,
Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with
student financial assistance awarded for the 2013-2014 academic
year. State student financial assistance awarded for an academic
period before that academic year is covered by the law in effect
immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
(b) The change in law made by this Act relating to the
eligibility of a student for a Texas Educational Opportunity Grant
or a TEXAS grant applies beginning with grants awarded for the
2011-2012 academic year. Grants awarded for an academic year
before the 2011-2012 academic year are governed by the law in effect
immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. 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, 2011.
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