Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB101 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R2258 KJE-D
2	2	By: Menéndez S.B. No. 101
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the Texas Emergency Aid for Public
8	8	Postsecondary Students (TEAPPS) grant program for students at
9	9	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 MM to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER MM. TEXAS EMERGENCY AID FOR PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY
14	14	STUDENTS (TEAPPS) GRANT PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 61.9901. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program"
16	16	means the Texas Emergency Aid for Public Postsecondary Students
17	17	(TEAPPS) grant program established under this subchapter.
18	18	Sec. 61.9902. PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas
19	19	Emergency Aid for Public Postsecondary Students (TEAPPS) grant
20	20	program is to enable eligible institutions of higher education to
21	21	provide emergency aid grants to assist students in dealing with
22	22	unexpected or unforeseen expenses, events, or circumstances that
23	23	could cause a loss of momentum toward completion of a degree
24	24	program.
25	25	Sec. 61.9903. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. (a) The board
26	26	shall administer the program and adopt any rules necessary to
27	27	implement the program. The board shall consult with institutions
28	28	of higher education in developing rules under this subchapter.
29	29	(b) The board shall develop a competitive application
30	30	process to award grants to eligible institutions of higher
31	31	education under the program.
32	32	Sec. 61.9904. GRANT ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
33	33	a grant under the program, an institution of higher education must
34	34	offer at least one associate or baccalaureate degree program and:
35	35	(1) have a student enrollment in which at least 30
36	36	percent of students:
37	37	(A) receive a Pell grant; or
38	38	(B) are members of an underrepresented minority
39	39	population, as determined by the board; or
40	40	(2) be designated by the United States Department of
41	41	Education as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI).
42	42	Sec. 61.9905. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. An institution of
43	43	higher education awarded a grant under this subchapter must:
44	44	(1) adopt a policy that clearly defines "emergency" in
45	45	accordance with board rule for purposes of providing emergency aid
46	46	to students under Section 61.9907;
47	47	(2) use an additional amount of funds at least equal to
48	48	10 percent of the grant amount awarded under the program for
49	49	purposes of providing emergency aid to students under Section
50	50	61.9907;
51	51	(3) partner with state agencies, nonprofit
52	52	community-based organizations, or other private entities to offer
53	53	to students receiving emergency aid under Section 61.9907
54	54	wraparound support services, such as assistance with food, housing,
55	55	transportation, or health care; and
56	56	(4) implement basic components and adhere to best
57	57	practices for successful emergency aid programs, as determined by
58	58	the board.
59	59	Sec. 61.9906. GRANT FUNDING; AMOUNT OF GRANT. (a) The
60	60	total amount of money appropriated for an academic year to award
61	61	grants to institutions of higher education under the program may
62	62	not exceed $2 million.
63	63	(b) The amount of a grant awarded to an institution of
64	64	higher education under the program may not exceed $50,000 per
65	65	academic year.
66	66	(c) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
67	67	donations from any public or private source for the program.
68	68	Sec. 61.9907. GRANT USE. (a) An institution of higher
69	69	education that receives a grant under the program may use grant
70	70	funds only to provide emergency aid to students enrolled at the
71	71	institution in accordance with this subchapter.
72	72	(b) The amount of emergency aid awarded to a student under
73	73	this section may not exceed $1,000 per award.
74	74	(c) An institution of higher education that receives a grant
75	75	under the program must establish an application process for
76	76	students enrolled at the institution to apply for emergency aid
77	77	awarded under this section. The application process must:
78	78	(1) allow students to apply electronically;
79	79	(2) be offered in both English and Spanish; and
80	80	(3) require the institution to:
81	81	(A) conclude review of an application not later
82	82	than 48 hours after receipt of the application; and
83	83	(B) disburse any funds awarded not later than 48
84	84	hours after concluding review of an application.
85	85	(d) Each institution of higher education that receives a
86	86	grant under the program shall:
87	87	(1) inform students enrolled at the institution of the
88	88	availability of emergency aid under this section in the manner
89	89	required by board rule;
90	90	(2) collect and maintain data regarding the awarding
91	91	of emergency aid under this section to evaluate the effectiveness
92	92	of the program; and
93	93	(3) report the data collected under Subdivision (2) to
94	94	the board in the time and manner required by board rule.
95	95	SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
96	96	Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter MM, Chapter 61,
97	97	Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
98	98	the effective date of this Act.
99	99	(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
100	100	begin awarding grants under Subchapter MM, Chapter 61, Education
101	101	Code, as added by this Act, for the first academic year for which
102	102	money is appropriated for that purpose, except that the
103	103	coordinating board may not award grants under that subchapter for
104	104	an academic year before the 2022-2023 academic year.
105	105	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
106	106	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
107	107	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
108	108	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
109	109	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.