Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB557 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R1239 KJE-D
2	2	By: White H.B. No. 557
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the Science, Technology,
8	8	Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship Program for
9	9	certain students at public institutions of higher education.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
12	12	Subchapter LL to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER LL. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
14	14	(STEM) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 61.9851. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "STEM
16	16	program" means a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
17	17	program.
18	18	Sec. 61.9852. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. (a) For purposes of
19	19	Section 49-g(c-3), Article III, Texas Constitution, the Science,
20	20	Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship
21	21	Program is established to provide eligible students with
22	22	scholarships to attend a STEM program at an institution of higher
23	23	education.
24	24	(b) The board shall establish and administer the
25	25	scholarship program in accordance with this subchapter and board
26	26	rules.
27	27	Sec. 61.9853. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To receive an initial
28	28	scholarship under this subchapter, a student must:
29	29	(1) be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the
30	30	United States;
31	31	(2) be a Texas resident under Section 54.052;
32	32	(3) enroll in a STEM program at an institution of
33	33	higher education; and
34	34	(4) comply with any other eligibility requirements
35	35	established by board rule.
36	36	(b) To continue to qualify for a scholarship under this
37	37	subchapter, a student must:
38	38	(1) remain enrolled in a STEM program at an
39	39	institution of higher education;
40	40	(2) make satisfactory academic progress as determined
41	41	by board rule; and
42	42	(3) comply with any other eligibility requirements
43	43	established by board rule.
44	44	Sec. 61.9854. AMOUNT; FUNDING. From funds retained as
45	45	general revenue under Section 49-g(c-3), Article III, Texas
46	46	Constitution, and appropriated for that purpose and from any other
47	47	available funds, the board shall award scholarships in an amount
48	48	determined by board rule to eligible students under the scholarship
49	49	program.
50	50	SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
51	51	shall begin awarding scholarships under Subchapter LL, Chapter 61,
52	52	Education Code, as added by this Act, for the first academic year
53	53	for which money is appropriated for that purpose, except that the
54	54	coordinating board may not award scholarships under that subchapter
55	55	for an academic year before the 2023-2024 academic year.
56	56	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022, but only
57	57	if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature,
58	58	Regular Session, 2021, to reduce the allocation of certain general
59	59	revenue to the economic stabilization fund and to use that revenue
60	60	for certain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
61	61	(STEM) scholarships is approved by the voters. If that
62	62	constitutional amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act
63	63	has no effect.