Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2077 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2077
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the establishment of the Building Better Futures
7	7	Program to support educational and occupational skills training
8	8	opportunities and support services for students with intellectual
9	9	and developmental disabilities at public and private institutions
10	10	of higher education.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
13	13	Subchapter 00 to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER 00. BUILDING BETTER FUTURES PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 61.9971. PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of the Building
16	16	Better Futures Program is to facilitate the delivery by
17	17	institutions of higher education and private or independent
18	18	institutions of higher education of educational and occupational
19	19	skills training opportunities and support services to students with
20	20	intellectual and developmental disabilities in an inclusive and
21	21	age-appropriate environment.
22	22	Sec. 61.9972. ADMINISTRATION; RULES. (a) The board shall
23	23	administer the Building Better Futures Program and adopt any rules
24	24	necessary to implement the program or this subchapter.
25	25	(b) The board may develop a competitive application process
26	26	for the award of funds to eligible institutions under the program.
27	27	(c) A program or course offered under the Building Better
28	28	Futures Program is exempt from the requirements of Sections 61.0512
29	29	and 61.822.
30	30	Sec. 61.9973. INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible
31	31	to participate in the Building Better Futures Program, an
32	32	institution of higher education or private or independent
33	33	institution of higher education:
34	34	(1) must:
35	35	(A) be approved by or awaiting approval from the
36	36	United States Department of Education to offer a comprehensive
37	37	transition and postsecondary program for students with
38	38	intellectual or developmental disabilities;
39	39	(B) develop and implement a selective admissions
40	40	process to select eligible students under Section 61.9974 for
41	41	admission to the institution's comprehensive transition and
42	42	postsecondary program; and
43	43	(C) award a certificate to each student who
44	44	successfully completes the Building Better Futures Program at the
45	45	institution; and
46	46	(2) may not allow credit hours completed under the Building
47	47	Better Futures Program to be transferred toward an associate or
48	48	baccalaureate degree program.
49	49	(b) The board shall establish criteria to ensure that each
50	50	eligible institution that has requested but not yet received
51	51	approval from the United States Department of Education for the
52	52	institution's comprehensive transition and postsecondary program
53	53	obtains that approval not later than the third anniversary of the
54	54	date the institution is initially selected by the board for
55	55	participation in the Building Better Futures Program.
56	56	Sec. 61.9974. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to
57	57	participate in the Building Better Futures Program, an applicant
58	58	must:
59	59	(1) apply for admission to a comprehensive transition
60	60	and postsecondary program, or a program that is awaiting approval
61	61	from the United States Department of Education as a comprehensive
62	62	transition and postsecondary program, at an eligible institution;
63	63	(2) be a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the
64	64	United States;
65	65	(3) be a resident of this state under Section 54.052,
66	66	except as provided by Subsection (d) of this section;
67	67	(4) have an intellectual or developmental disability
68	68	diagnosed by a physician, psychologist, or other individual
69	69	qualified by license or statute to make such a diagnosis;
70	70	(5) be able and willing to learn and participate in an
71	71	inclusive classroom and work setting; and
72	72	(6) not be a danger to the applicant's self or others,
73	73	as determined by the accepting institution.
74	74	(b) An applicant who is a lawful permanent resident of the
75	75	United States must submit with the applicant's application a copy
76	76	of the applicant's lawful permanent resident form.
77	77	(c) An eligible institution may require an applicant or the
78	78	applicant's parent or guardian to provide proof of residency as
79	79	evidenced by one of the following:
80	80	(1) information from the Free Application for Federal
81	81	Student Aid;
82	82	(2) a driver's license issued by the Department of
83	83	Public Safety that has not expired;
84	84	(3) documentation of payment for personal or real
85	85	property taxes for the previous year;
86	86	(4) vehicle registration issued by the Texas
87	87	Department of Motor Vehicles that has not expired;
88	88	(5) a voter registration certificate issued in this
89	89	state that has not expired; or
90	90	(6) documentation under Section 54.053.
91	91	(d) An applicant who is not a resident of this state may be
92	92	eligible to participate in the Building Better Futures Program at
93	93	an eligible institution only if an opening is available after all
94	94	resident applicants are admitted.
95	95	Sec. 61.9975. AWARD OF FUNDS. The board may award funds
96	96	under the Building Better Futures Program only to eligible
97	97	institutions to be used by the institutions to facilitate the
98	98	delivery of educational and occupational skills training
99	99	opportunities and support services to students participating in the
100	100	program.
101	101	Sec. 61.9976. FUNDING. The board may use any available
102	102	revenue, including legislative appropriations, and may solicit and
103	103	accept gifts, grants, and donations from a public or private source
104	104	for the purposes of this subchapter.
105	105	SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
106	106	shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter 00, Chapter 61,
107	107	Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
108	108	the effective date of this Act.
109	109	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
110	110	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
111	111	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
112	112	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
113	113	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.