By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 33
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to eligibility for a TEXAS Grant and to administration of
the TEXAS grant program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 56.304, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) A person may not receive a TEXAS grant for more than the
lesser of:
(1) 135[150] semester credit hours or the equivalent;
or
(2) 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent in
excess of the degree requirements of the degree the person is
seeking.
SECTION 2. Section 56.3041, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) to read as follows:
(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person
graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling
in an eligible institution must:
(1) be a resident of this state as determined by
coordinating board rules;
(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by
Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows:
(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited
private high school in this state who completed the foundation high
school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent
and have accomplished any two or more of the following:
(i) successful completion of the course
requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or
earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of
college credit in high school through courses described in Sections
28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3);
(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success
Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the
coordinating board under Section 51.3062(f) on any assessment
instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section
51.3062(c) or qualification for an exemption as described by
Section 51.3062(p), (q), or (q-1);
(iii) graduation in the top one-third of
the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high
school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point
scale or the equivalent; or
(iv) completion for high school credit of
at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful
completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career
and technical or technology applications course;
(B) have received an associate degree from a
public or private institution of higher education;
(C) be an undergraduate student who has:
(i) previously attended another
institution of higher education;
(ii) received an initial Texas Educational
Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a
subsequent academic term;
(iii) completed at least 30[24] semester
credit hours at any institution or institutions of higher
education; and
(iv) earned an overall grade point average
of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all
course work previously attempted; or
(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the
eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A);
(3) meet financial need requirements established by
the coordinating board;
(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
certificate program at an eligible institution;
(5) except as provided under rules adopted under
Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as:
(A) an entering undergraduate student for at
least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the
calendar month in which the person graduated from high school;
(B) an entering undergraduate student who
entered military service not later than the first anniversary of
the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for
at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12
months after being honorably discharged from military service;
(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at
least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the
calendar month in which the person received an associate degree
from a public or private institution of higher education; or
(D) an undergraduate student described by
Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant;
(6) have applied for any available financial aid or
assistance; and
(7) comply with any additional nonacademic
requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this
subchapter.
SECTION 3. Section 56.305, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (e-2) to read as follows:
(e-2) For purposes of this section, a person who is
initially awarded a TEXAS grant during or after the 2017 fall
semester makes satisfactory academic progress toward an
undergraduate degree or certificate only if:
(1) in the person's first academic year the person
meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the
institution at which the person is enrolled; and
(2) in a subsequent academic year, the person:
(A) completed at least 30 semester credit hours
in the student's most recent academic year; and
(B) has earned an overall grade point average of
at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework
previously attempted at institutions of higher education.
SECTION 4. Section 56.307, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (f), adding Subsection (f-1), and amending
Subsection (j) to read as follows:
(f) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not be reduced by any
gift aid for which the person receiving the grant is eligible, other
than a federal Pell Grant, unless the total amount of a person's
grant plus any gift aid received exceeds the student's financial
need.
(f-1) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not exceed the
student's total cost of tuition and fees, plus a book stipend.
(j) A public institution of higher education shall use other
available sources of financial aid, other than a loan or
participation in a work-study program, to cover any difference in
the amount of a TEXAS grant awarded to the student and the actual
amount of tuition and required fees at the institution if the
difference results from:
(1) a reduction in the amount of a TEXAS grant under
Subsection (i-1); or
(2) a deficiency in the amount of the grant as
established under Subsection (a) or (e), as applicable, to cover
the full amount of tuition and required fees charged to the student
by the institution.
SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for the
2017 fall semester. Initial or subsequent TEXAS grants awarded for
a semester or term before the 2017 fall semester are governed by the
applicable law in effect immediately before the effective date of
this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 6. 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.