| 1 | 1 | | 88R3726 CXP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Middleton S.B. No. 689 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a public safety dual credit grant |
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| 8 | 8 | | program by the Texas Education Agency. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.9081 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.9081. PUBLIC SAFETY DUAL CREDIT GRANT PROGRAM. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | From funds appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the |
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| 14 | 14 | | agency shall establish and administer a program to provide grants |
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| 15 | 15 | | to eligible students who enroll while in high school in a dual |
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| 16 | 16 | | credit public safety degree or certificate program at a public |
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| 17 | 17 | | institution of higher education. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The commissioner by rule shall establish eligibility |
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| 19 | 19 | | criteria to receive a grant under this section. The criteria must: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) require a student to enter into an agreement with |
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| 21 | 21 | | the agency to: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) complete the student's public safety degree |
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| 23 | 23 | | or certificate program within a period prescribed by commissioner |
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| 24 | 24 | | rule; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) on completion of the student's degree or |
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| 26 | 26 | | certificate program and any other prerequisites for employment as a |
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| 27 | 27 | | peace officer or other public safety officer in this state, |
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| 28 | 28 | | complete a number of years of employment as a peace officer or other |
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| 29 | 29 | | public safety officer in this state, as prescribed by commissioner |
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| 30 | 30 | | rule; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) provide that a student who establishes initial |
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| 32 | 32 | | eligibility for a grant under this section remains eligible for a |
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| 33 | 33 | | grant under this section for the duration of the student's |
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| 34 | 34 | | enrollment in a public safety degree or certificate program at a |
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| 35 | 35 | | public institution of higher education as long as the student |
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| 36 | 36 | | continues to: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (A) make satisfactory academic progress toward |
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| 38 | 38 | | the degree or certificate; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (B) meet other requirements prescribed by |
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| 40 | 40 | | commissioner rule. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (c) The amount of a grant awarded to a student under this |
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| 42 | 42 | | section is equal to the cost of tuition and required fees incurred |
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| 43 | 43 | | by the student for enrollment in a public safety degree or |
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| 44 | 44 | | certificate program at a public institution of higher education. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (d) A student receiving a grant under this section may use |
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| 46 | 46 | | the money only to pay the cost of tuition and required fees incurred |
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| 47 | 47 | | by the student for enrollment in a public safety degree or |
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| 48 | 48 | | certificate program at a public institution of higher education. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (e) The agency may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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| 50 | 50 | | donations from any public or private source for the purpose of this |
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| 51 | 51 | | section. |
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| 52 | 52 | | (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish and |
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| 53 | 53 | | administer the grant program under this section. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 55 | 55 | | of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall establish the public |
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| 56 | 56 | | safety dual credit grant program under Section 29.9081, Education |
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| 57 | 57 | | Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 59 | 59 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 60 | 60 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 61 | 61 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 62 | 62 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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