87R1947 KJE-D
By: Blanco S.B. No. 169
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to eligibility for 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 four years of ROTC training or 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 Ready Reserve Corps of the United States Public Health
Service; or
(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
in any branch of the armed services of the United States or in the
Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service;
(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all
other prescreening requirements of the applicable entity described
by Subdivision (3) [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. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended
by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services
Scholarship awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year.
SECTION 3. 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, 2021.