By: Gallego H.B. No. 3697
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a Service to Texas requirement for
undergraduate students at public institutions of higher education
and the establishment of a Service to Texas program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.310 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.310. SERVICE TO TEXAS. (a) In this section,
"institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by
Section 61.003.
(b) To receive a baccalaureate degree or a certificate for
an undergraduate program requiring at least 60 semester credit
hours from an institution of higher education, a student must
perform at least 20 hours of unpaid Service To Texas while enrolled
in an institution of higher education in this state. The Service to
Texas must consist of activity for and under the supervision of a
nonprofit organization, governmental entity, or other entity that
benefits needy or deserving individuals or the public, as
determined by the institution the student attends.
(c) Each institution of higher education shall assign an
existing office to coordinate and monitor the Service to Texas
program to assist students to satisfy the service requirements of
this section.
(d) Each institution of higher education, through its
Service to Texas program, shall develop a list of approved public
service organizations and entities. In developing and maintaining
the list, an institution of higher education shall:
(1) include on the list a broad variety of
organizations and entities that reflect diverse activities and
viewpoints; and
(2) permit a student to propose a specific
organization or entity for consideration for addition to the list.
(e) A student shall select one or more of the listed
organizations or entities to supervise and document the student's
performance of the required public service.
(f) This section does not apply to a student who first
enrolls in an institution of higher education before September 1,
2012.
SECTION 2. 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.