Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1656 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: West S.B. No. 1656
2		-	(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 23, 2015, read
3		-	first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
4		-	April 7, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7,
5		-	Nays 0; April 7, 2015, sent to printer.)
6		-	Click here to see the committee vote
7	2
8	3
9	4		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	5		AN ACT
11	6		relating to the administration of the scholarship program for
12	7		certain students graduating in the top 10 percent of the students'
13	8		high school graduating class.
14	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	10		SECTION 1. Sections 56.483, 56.484, and 56.486, Education
16	11		Code, are amended to read as follows:
17	12		Sec. 56.483. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM [AWARD OF
18	13		SCHOLARSHIP]. (a) The coordinating board shall administer the Top
19	14		10 Percent Scholarship Program established [award scholarships to
20	15		eligible students] under this subchapter and shall adopt rules as
21	16		necessary to implement the program at institutions of higher
22	17		education. The coordinating board shall consult with student
23	18		financial aid officers at institutions of higher education in
24	19		developing the rules.
25	20		(b) The total amount of scholarships awarded under this
26	21		subchapter may not exceed the amount available for the program from
27	22		legislative appropriations [An institution of higher education
28	23		shall provide to a student who receives a scholarship under the
29	24		program for a semester or other academic term:
30	25		[(1) a credit in the amount of the scholarship, to be
31	26		applied toward the payment of any amount of educational costs
32	27		charged by the institution for that semester or term; and
33	28		[(2) a check, electronic transfer, or other
34	29		disbursement of any remaining scholarship amount].
35	30		[(c) An amount paid under Subsection (b)(2) may be applied
36	31		only to any usual and customary cost incurred by the student to
37	32		attend the institution of higher education.]
38	33		Sec. 56.484. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP. To be
39	34		eligible for a scholarship under this subchapter, a student must:
40	35		(1) have graduated from a public or accredited private
41	36		high school in this state while ranked in the top 10 percent of the
42	37		student's graduating class, subject to Section 56.487(b);
43	38		(2) have completed the recommended, [or] advanced, or
44	39		distinguished high school curriculum established under Section
45	40		28.025, the distinguished level of achievement under the foundation
46	41		high school program, or an [its] equivalent curriculum;
47	42		(3) demonstrate financial need as defined by
48	43		coordinating board rules [have applied for admission as a
49	44		first-time freshman student for the 2010-2011 academic year or a
50	45		subsequent academic year to an institution of higher education that
51	46		has elected to offer admissions for that academic year to
52	47		applicants as provided by Section 51.803(a-1)];
53	48		(4) unless granted a hardship extension under Section
54	49		56.490, enroll as a first-time freshman student in an institution
55	50		of higher education not later than the first fall semester
56	51		following the student's high school graduation and maintain
57	52		full-time enrollment through the census date of that fall semester
58	53		[not later than the 16th month after the date of the student's high
59	54		school graduation];
60	55		(5) [have been awarded a TEXAS grant under Subchapter
61	56		M for the same semester or other academic term for which the
62	57		scholarship will be awarded;
63	58		[(6)] be a Texas resident under Section 54.052; and
64	59		(6) [(7)] comply with any other eligibility
65	60		requirements established by coordinating board rule.
66	61		Sec. 56.486. AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP. The [(a) Except as
67	62		provided by Subsection (b), the] amount of a scholarship for an
68	63		academic year [each semester or other academic term] in which an
69	64		eligible student is enrolled at an institution of higher education
70	65		is an amount determined annually by the coordinating board based on
71	66		available funds [sufficient to cover, but not exceed, the amount of
72	67		tuition charged to the student for that semester or term].
73	68		[(b) The amount of a scholarship for each semester or other
74	69		academic term may not exceed the amount of the student's unmet
75	70		financial need for that semester or term after any other gift aid
76	71		has been awarded.
77	72		[(c) The coordinating board shall issue to each eligible
78	73		student a certificate indicating the amount of the scholarship
79	74		awarded to the student.]
80	75		SECTION 2. Subchapter R, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
81	76		amended by adding Section 56.4865 to read as follows:
82	77		Sec. 56.4865. SCHOLARSHIP USE; PAYMENT. (a) A student
83	78		receiving a scholarship under the program may use the money to pay
84	79		any usual and customary cost of attendance incurred by the student
85	80		at an institution of higher education.
86	81		(b) An institution of higher education may disburse all or
87	82		part of a scholarship to an eligible student only if the tuition and
88	83		required fees incurred by the student at the institution have been
89	84		paid.
90	85		SECTION 3. Sections 56.487(a), (b), and (c), Education
91	86		Code, are amended to read as follows:
92	87		(a) The coordinating board shall establish application
93	88		procedures for the program. [The procedures may require an officer
94	89		of the applicable high school or school district to verify the
95	90		eligibility of a student to receive a scholarship under the
96	91		program.]
97	92		(b) An institution of higher education shall obtain the
98	93		necessary documentation from the applicable high school or school
99	94		district to verify a student's eligibility. An institution of
100	95		higher education shall verify a student's [The coordinating board
101	96		may permit a student to establish] initial eligibility based on the
102	97		student's class rank at the end of the student's seventh semester in
103	98		high school unless the institution uses a different semester in
104	99		determining student eligibility for admission to the institution.
105	100		[The board may revoke an initial scholarship awarded to a student
106	101		who subsequently loses eligibility based on the student's class
107	102		rank on graduation from high school.]
108	103		(c) An institution of higher education [The coordinating
109	104		board] may consider applications received after the uniform
110	105		priority [application] deadline prescribed by the coordinating
111	106		board under Section 56.008 only if sufficient funding for
112	107		scholarships remains after the institution [board] awards
113	108		scholarships to all eligible students who applied on or before the
114	109		deadline.
115	110		SECTION 4. Sections 56.488, 56.489, 56.490, and 56.492,
116	111		Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
117	112		Sec. 56.488. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP.
118	113		(a) After establishing eligibility to receive an initial
119	114		scholarship under the program, a student may qualify for a renewal
120	115		scholarship award in a [continue to receive additional scholarships
121	116		during each] subsequent [semester or other] academic year [term] in
122	117		which the student is enrolled at an institution of higher education
123	118		if the student:
124	119		(1) makes satisfactory academic progress as required
125	120		by Section 56.489;
126	121		(2) submits to the institution transcripts for any
127	122		coursework completed at other public or private institutions of
128	123		higher education; and
129	124		(3) [has been awarded a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M
130	125		for the same semester or other academic term for which the
131	126		scholarship will be awarded; and
132	127		[(4)] complies with any other eligibility
133	128		requirements established by coordinating board rule.
134	129		(b) If a student fails to meet any of the requirements of
135	130		Subsection (a) as of the end of an academic year [after completing a
136	131		semester or other academic term], the student may not receive a
137	132		scholarship during the next [semester or other] academic year
138	133		[term] in which the student enrolls. A student may become eligible
139	134		to receive a scholarship in a subsequent academic year [semester or
140	135		term] if the student:
141	136		(1) completes an academic year [a semester or term]
142	137		during which the student is not eligible for a scholarship; and
143	138		(2) meets all the requirements of Subsection (a).
144	139		(c) Except as provided by Section 56.490(b), a student's
145	140		eligibility for a scholarship under the program ends on the fourth
146	141		anniversary of the first day of the semester or other academic term
147	142		for which the student was awarded an initial scholarship under the
148	143		program.
149	144		Sec. 56.489. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS. A [For each
150	145		academic year in which a] student initially awarded a scholarship
151	146		under this subchapter in an academic year makes satisfactory
152	147		academic progress in a subsequent academic year for purposes of
153	148		this subchapter only if [receives one or more scholarships under
154	149		the program,] the student [must]:
155	150		(1) completes [complete] for that year[:
156	151		[(A) at least 75 percent of all credit hours
157	152		attempted, as determined by the institution of higher education in
158	153		which the student is enrolled; and
159	154		[(B)] at least 30 credit hours or the number of
160	155		credit hours needed to complete the student's degree or certificate
161	156		program, whichever is less; and
162	157		(2) maintains [maintain] an overall grade point
163	158		average of at least 3.25 on a four-point scale or its equivalent for
164	159		all coursework attempted at any public or private institution of
165	160		higher education.
166	161		Sec. 56.490. EXCEPTION FOR HARDSHIP OR OTHER GOOD CAUSE.
167	162		(a) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy to
168	163		allow a student who fails to enroll as a first-time freshman student
169	164		at an institution of higher education within the period prescribed
170	165		by Section 56.484(4) or who fails to make satisfactory academic
171	166		progress as required by Section 56.489 to receive a scholarship in a
172	167		subsequent semester or other academic term on a showing of hardship
173	168		or other good cause, including:
174	169		(1) a showing of a severe illness or other
175	170		debilitating condition that could affect the student's academic
176	171		performance;
177	172		(2) an indication that the student is responsible for
178	173		the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the student's
179	174		provision of care could affect the student's academic performance;
180	175		or
181	176		(3) any other cause considered acceptable by the
182	177		coordinating board.
183	178		(b) An institution of higher education may extend the
184	179		eligibility period described by Section 56.488(c) in the event of
185	180		hardship or other good cause as provided by the institution's
186	181		policy adopted under Subsection (a), except that the institution
187	182		may not extend a student's eligibility beyond four annual
188	183		scholarship awards or for less than full-time enrollment.
189	184		(c) An institution of higher education shall maintain
190	185		documentation of each exception granted to a student under this
191	186		section [and shall provide timely notice of those exceptions to the
192	187		coordinating board].
193	188		Sec. 56.492. DISBURSEMENTS [REIMBURSEMENT]. (a) Each
194	189		institution of higher education that provides scholarships under
195	190		the program to eligible students enrolled at the institution shall
196	191		receive, in accordance with coordinating board rules, a share of
197	192		the funds appropriated for the program [is entitled to
198	193		reimbursement by the coordinating board of the amounts provided.
199	194		The institution must request reimbursement in the manner specified
200	195		by coordinating board rule].
201	196		(b) On approval of an institution's request for funds
202	197		[reimbursement], the coordinating board shall direct the
203	198		comptroller to transfer the appropriate amount to the institution.
204	199		The institution may use the transferred funds as reimbursement for
205	200		any credits provided to students under this subchapter, to
206	201		reimburse students for charges previously paid to the institution,
207	202		or to make scholarship payments to students, as applicable.
208	203		SECTION 5. Sections 56.485 and 56.487(d), Education Code,
209	204		are repealed.
210	205		SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter
211	206		R, Chapter 56, Education Code, apply beginning with scholarships
212	207		awarded under that subchapter for the 2015-2016 academic year.
213	208		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
214	209		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
215	210		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
216	211		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
217	212		Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
218		-	* * * * *