Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB809 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		86R10081 SOS-F
2		-	By: Thierry, et al. H.B. No. 809
	2	+	By: Thierry H.B. No. 809
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 809:
	4	+	By: Howard C.S.H.B. No. 809
3	5
4	6
5	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	8		AN ACT
7	9		relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public
8	10		institutions of higher education who are homeless or who were
9	11		formerly in foster care.
10	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	13		SECTION 1. Section 51.9356, Education Code, is amended to
12	14		read as follows:
13	15		Sec. 51.9356. DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST
14	16		STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a)
15	17		In this section:
16	18		(1) "Institution[, "institution] of higher education"
17	19		has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
18	20		(2) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
19	21		assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
20	22		Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
21	23		housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
22	24		during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
23	25		terms.
24	26		(b) Each institution of higher education shall designate at
25	27		least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer
26	28		for current and incoming:
27	29		(1) students [at the institution] who were formerly in
28	30		the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective
29	31		Services; and
30	32		(2) students who are homeless.
31	33		(c) An institution of higher education may designate under
32	34		Subsection (b) the same employee or employees to act as liaison
33	35		officer for each student population described in that subsection or
34	36		one or more different employees to act as liaison officer for each
35	37		of those student populations separately. A [The] liaison officer
36	38		shall provide to the [those] students for whom the officer is
37	39		designated information regarding support services including
38	40		financial aid, on-campus and off-campus housing, food and meal
39	41		programs, and counseling services, [and] other resources available
40	42		to the students at the institution of higher education, and any
41	43		other relevant information to assist the students.
42	44		SECTION 2. The heading to Section 51.978, Education Code,
43	45		is amended to read as follows:
44	46		Sec. 51.978. TEMPORARY HOUSING BETWEEN ACADEMIC TERMS FOR
45	47		CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP OF
46	48		DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES OR WHO ARE HOMELESS.
47	49		SECTION 3. Section 51.978(a), Education Code, is amended by
48	50		adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
49	51		(3) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
50	52		assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
51	53		Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
52	54		housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
53	55		during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
54	56		terms.
55	57		SECTION 4. Section 51.978(b), Education Code, is amended to
56	58		read as follows:
57	59		(b) To be eligible to receive housing assistance from an
58	60		institution of higher education under Subsection (c), a student
59	61		must:
60	62		(1) be:
61	63		(A) a student who has [have] been under the
62	64		conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services
63	65		or its predecessor in function on the day preceding:
64	66		(i) [(A)] the student's 18th birthday; or
65	67		(ii) [(B)] the date the student's
66	68		disabilities of minority are removed by a court under Chapter 31,
67	69		Family Code; or
68	70		(B) a student who is homeless;
69	71		(2) be enrolled full-time at the institution during
70	72		the academic term immediately preceding the period for which the
71	73		student requests the housing assistance;
72	74		(3) be registered or otherwise have taken the actions
73	75		required by the institution to permit the student to enroll
74	76		full-time at the institution during the academic term immediately
75	77		following the period for which the student requests the housing
76	78		assistance; and
77	79		(4) lack other reasonable temporary housing
78	80		alternatives between the academic terms described by Subdivisions
79	81		(2) and (3), as determined by the institution.
80	82		SECTION 5. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
81	83		amended by adding Section 51.9781 to read as follows:
82	84		Sec. 51.9781. PRIORITY ACCESS TO STUDENT HOUSING FOR
83	85		STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a) In this section:
84	86		(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
85	87		assigned by Section 61.003.
86	88		(2) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning
87	89		assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
88	90		Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
89	91		housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
90	92		during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
91	93		terms.
92	94		(b) Each institution of higher education that maintains
93	95		student housing facilities shall give priority in the assignment of
94	96		housing in those facilities to students who are homeless.
95	97		SECTION 6. Section 61.0908, Education Code, is amended to
96	98		read as follows:
97	99		Sec. 61.0908. DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST
98	100		STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a)
99	101		In this section, "students who are homeless" has the meaning
100	102		assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C.
101	103		Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student
102	104		housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education
103	105		during an academic term but who are homeless between academic
104	106		terms.
105	107		(b) The board shall designate at least one employee of the
106	108		board to act as a liaison officer for the following current and
107	109		incoming students at institutions of higher education:
108	110		(1) students who were formerly in the conservatorship
109	111		of the Department of Family and Protective Services; and
110	112		(2) students who are homeless.
111	113		(c) The board may designate under Subsection (b) the same
112	114		employee or employees to act as liaison officer for each student
113	115		population described in that subsection or one or more different
114	116		employees to act as liaison officer for each of those student
115	117		populations separately. A [The] liaison officer shall assist the
116	118		students for whom the officer is designated in coordinating college
117	119		readiness and student success efforts relating to the [those]
118	120		students.
119	121		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
120	122		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
121	123		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
122	124		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
123	125		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.