By: White, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Uresti) H.B. No. 928
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2017;
May 8, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
Human Services; May 19, 2017, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 19, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to assisting certain children who are in foster care in the
process of applying to institutions of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 264.1211 to read as follows:
Sec. 264.1211. FACILITATION OF TRANSITION TO INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) In this section, "community resource
coordination group" means a coordination group established under a
memorandum of understanding under Section 531.055, Government
Code.
(b) A department employee who is a member of a community
resource coordination group shall inform the group about the
tuition and fee waivers for institutions of higher education that
are available to eligible children in foster care under Section
54.366, Education Code.
(c) Each school district, in coordination with the
department, shall facilitate the transition of each child enrolled
in the district who is eligible for a tuition and fee waiver under
Section 54.366, Education Code, and who is likely to be in the
conservatorship of the department on the day preceding the child's
18th birthday to an institution of higher education by:
(1) assisting the child with the completion of any
applications for admission or for financial aid;
(2) arranging and accompanying the child on campus
visits;
(3) assisting the child in researching and applying
for private or institution-sponsored scholarships;
(4) identifying whether the child is a candidate for
appointment to a military academy;
(5) assisting the child in registering and preparing
for college entrance examinations, including, subject to the
availability of funds, arranging for the payment of any examination
fees by the department; and
(6) coordinating contact between the child and a
liaison officer designated under Section 61.0908, Education Code,
for students who were formerly in the department's conservatorship.
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, 2017.
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