H.B. No. 2140
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.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2140 was passed by the House on April
25, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 4, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2140 was passed by the Senate on May
22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor