86R21224 JRJ-D By: Neave H.B. No. 2140 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2140: By: Howard C.S.H.B. No. 2140 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to creating an electronic application system for state student financial assistance. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 61.07762 to read as follows: Sec. 61.07762. APPLICATION FOR STATE FINANCIAL AID. (a) The board shall adopt procedures to allow a person to complete and submit the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) or a similar application for state student financial assistance by electronic submission through the Internet website through which the board provides the common admission application form required by Section 51.762. (a-1) The board shall appoint an advisory committee composed of financial aid personnel at institutions of higher education and stakeholders who represent the needs of interested students to assist the board in adopting the procedures required by Subsection (a) and to develop recommendations for that purpose. Not later than January 1, 2021, the board shall report the advisory committee's recommendations to the standing committee of each house of the legislature with jurisdiction over higher education. This subsection expires January 1, 2023. (b) For the purposes of this section, the board shall continuously maintain an online database of institutions of higher education to which state student financial assistance may be applied. (c) The personal information of an individual maintained by the board for the purposes of this section is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. (d) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with applications for state student financial assistance submitted for the 2022-2023 academic year. SECTION 3. 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, 2019.