87R21354 CXP-D
By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 2815
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a
student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by
this section. The agreement must require the student to:
(1) complete:
(A) one year of ROTC training for each year that
the student is enrolled in a degree or certificate program at a
public or private institution of higher education in this state, up
to a maximum requirement of four years of ROTC training; or
(B) [complete] another undergraduate officer
commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps
Platoon Leaders Class;
(2) graduate not later than six years after the date
the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of
higher education in this state;
(3) after graduation, enter into:
(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the
Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State
Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;
or
(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all
other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,
Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast
Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed
services with which the student enters into a contract; and
(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student:
(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic
progress;
(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or
(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract
described by Subdivision (3).
SECTION 2. Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.97731 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.97731. NOTICE REGARDING MINIMUM AND REQUIRED ROTC
TRAINING. The board shall post on the board's Internet website and
provide to each student before the student enters into an agreement
with the board under Section 61.9773 information regarding the
number of years of ROTC training that each entity described by
Section 61.9773(a)(3) requires or recommends before entering into a
commitment or contract described by that subdivision.
SECTION 3. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended
by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services
Scholarship awarded for the 2022-2023 academic year. A Texas Armed
Services Scholarship awarded for an academic year before that
academic year is governed by the law in effect when the scholarship
was awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.