By: Hochberg (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 3708
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2011;
May 5, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 23, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0;
May 23, 2011, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3708 By: Zaffirini
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program
and to the funding of certain exemptions from tuition and fees at
public institutions of higher education from savings attributable
to the program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 54.213(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) [Savings to the foundation school fund that occur as a
result of the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program
created in Subchapter K, Chapter 56, and that are not required for
the funding of state credits for tuition and mandatory fees under
Section 56.204 or school district credits under Section 56.2075
shall be used first to provide tuition exemptions under Section
54.212. Any of those savings remaining after providing tuition
exemptions under Section 54.212 shall be used to provide tuition
exemptions under Section 54.214.] The Texas Education Agency shall
[also] accept and make available to provide tuition exemptions
under Section 54.214 gifts, grants, and donations made to the
agency for that purpose. The commissioner of education shall
transfer those funds to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to distribute to institutions of higher education that
provide exemptions under that section. [Payment of funds under
this subsection shall be made in the manner provided by Section
56.207 for state credits under Subchapter K, Chapter 56.]
SECTION 2. Section 56.204(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) In a total amount not to exceed the amount of funds
appropriated for the current state fiscal year to pay for [An
eligible person under the Early High School Graduation Scholarship
program is entitled to] a state credit to apply toward tuition or
tuition and mandatory fees, as applicable, at a public or private
institution of higher education in this state, the commissioner of
education shall award to eligible persons credits in the following
amounts:
(1) $2,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees
if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced
high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated
from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in 36 consecutive
months or less and an additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and
mandatory fees if the person graduated with at least 15 hours of
college credit;
(2) $500 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if
the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced high
school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated from
high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 36
consecutive months but not more than 41 consecutive months and an
additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if the
person graduated with at least 30 hours of college credit;
(3) $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees
if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced
high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated
from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 41
consecutive months but not more than 45 consecutive months with at
least 30 hours of college credit; or
(4) $1,000 to apply only toward tuition if the person
graduated before September 1, 2005, after successfully completing
the requirements for a high school diploma in not more than 36
consecutive months.
SECTION 3. Section 56.207(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) On receipt of a report from the coordinating board under
Subsection (a), the commissioner of education shall transfer to the
coordinating board, from funds appropriated for the purpose of the
Early High [Foundation] School Graduation Scholarship program
[Program], an amount commensurate with the amount of funds
appropriated [sufficient] to pay each eligible institution of
higher education the amount of state credit for tuition or tuition
and mandatory fees, as applicable, that is applied by the
institution during the period covered by the report.
SECTION 4. Sections 56.202(b) and 56.208, Education Code,
are repealed.
SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after this Act takes
effect, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall revise
rules adopted under Section 56.209(a), Education Code, as necessary
to conform to changes made by this Act to Subchapter K, Chapter 56,
Education Code. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt
the revisions to those rules in the manner provided by law for
emergency rules. This section expires September 1, 2012.
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply
beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, but do not affect any
state credit awarded under Subchapter K, Chapter 56, Education
Code, before the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 7. 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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