86R3156 SOS-F
By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 249
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the automatic admission to general academic teaching
institutions and eligibility for certain scholarships of a student
who is the valedictorian of the student's high school graduating
class.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d-1) and amending Subsection (h) to read as
follows:
(d-1) In addition to admissions required under Subsection
(a), each general academic teaching institution shall admit an
applicant for admission to the institution as an undergraduate
student if the applicant graduated as the valedictorian of the
student's high school graduating class in one of the two school
years preceding the academic year for which the student is applying
for admission and satisfies the requirements of Subsections (a)(1)
through (3). Subsection (b) applies to an applicant for admission
under this subsection.
(h) An institution that admits under this section an
applicant qualified for automatic admission under Subsection (a) or
(d-1) may admit the applicant for either the fall semester of the
academic year for which the applicant applies or for the summer
session preceding that fall semester, as determined by the
institution.
SECTION 2. Section 56.484, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 56.484. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP. To be
eligible for a scholarship under this subchapter, a student must:
(1) have graduated from a public or accredited private
high school in this state while ranked in the top 10 percent or as
the valedictorian of the student's graduating class, subject to
Section 56.487(b);
(2) have completed the recommended or advanced high
school curriculum established under Section 28.025 or its
equivalent;
(3) have applied for admission as a first-time
freshman student for the 2010-2011 academic year or a subsequent
academic year to an institution of higher education that has
elected to offer admissions for that academic year to applicants as
provided by Section 51.803(a-1);
(4) enroll as a first-time freshman student in an
institution of higher education not later than the 16th month after
the date of the student's high school graduation;
(5) have been awarded a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M
for the same semester or other academic term for which the
scholarship will be awarded;
(6) be a Texas resident under Section 54.052; and
(7) comply with any other eligibility requirements
established by coordinating board rule.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act to Section
51.803, Education Code, apply beginning with admissions to a
general academic teaching institution for the 2019-2020 academic
year. Admissions to a general academic teaching institution for an
academic year before that academic year are governed by the law in
effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section
56.484, Education Code, applies beginning with scholarships
awarded for the 2019-2020 academic year. Scholarships awarded for
an academic year before that academic year are governed by the law
in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. 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.