Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB300 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R21370 CMO-D
2		-	By: Wilson, et al. H.B. No. 300
	2	+	By: Wilson H.B. No. 300
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 300:
	4	+	By: Wilson C.S.H.B. No. 300
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7	9		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	10		AN ACT
9	11		relating to the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program.
10	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	13		SECTION 1. Section 61.9771(b), Education Code, is amended
12	14		to read as follows:
13	15		(b) The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter in an
14	16		academic year is the lesser of:
15	17		(1) the greater of $30,000 or an amount equal to the
16	18		average cost of attendance at an institution of higher education in
17	19		this state, as determined by board rule [$15,000]; or
18	20		(2) the amount available for each scholarship from
19	21		appropriations that may be used for scholarships under this
20	22		subchapter for that academic year.
21	23		SECTION 2. Section 61.9772, Education Code, is amended by
22	24		amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
23	25		read as follows:
24	26		(a) To receive an initial scholarship under this
25	27		subchapter, a student must:
26	28		(1) be enrolled in a public or private institution of
27	29		higher education in this state and, while enrolled at the
28	30		institution: [;]
29	31		(A) [(2)] enroll in and be a member in good
30	32		standing of a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program or
31	33		another [undergraduate] officer commissioning program such as the
32	34		United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class [while enrolled in
33	35		a public or private institution of higher education in this state];
34	36		(B) submit to the board proof of the student's
35	37		successful completion of a program described by Paragraph (A); or
36	38		(C) submit to the board proof of the student's
37	39		acceptance into the officer commissioning program for the Texas
38	40		State Guard, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code;
39	41		(2) [(3)] be appointed to receive a scholarship by the
40	42		governor, the lieutenant governor, a state senator, or a state
41	43		representative; and
42	44		(3) [(4)] enter into an agreement with the board under
43	45		Section 61.9773.
44	46		(b) In each year, the governor and the lieutenant governor
45	47		shall [may] each appoint two students and two alternates and each
46	48		state senator and each state representative shall [may] appoint one
47	49		student and one alternate to receive an initial scholarship under
48	50		this subchapter. If a student appointed under this subsection to
49	51		receive a scholarship fails to initially meet eligibility or
50	52		otherwise meet the requirements to initially receive the
51	53		scholarship, the board [Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board]
52	54		must notify the alternate on file of their nomination.
53	55		(b-1) A state senator or state representative shall make the
54	56		appointments required by Subsection (b) not later than September 30
55	57		of each year. If a state senator or state representative fails to
56	58		make a timely appointment in accordance with this subsection, the
57	59		lieutenant governor or the speaker of the house of representatives,
58	60		as appropriate, shall promptly fill the vacancy in appointment or
59	61		designate a member of their respective chamber to promptly make the
60	62		appointment on their behalf.
61	63		SECTION 3. Section 61.9773, Education Code, is amended to
62	64		read as follows:
63	65		Sec. 61.9773. AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) To receive a
64	66		scholarship under this subchapter, a student must enter into an
65	67		agreement with the board as provided by this section. The agreement
66	68		must require the student to:
67	69		(1) satisfy one of the following requirements
68	70		[complete]:
69	71		(A) complete or submit to the board proof that
70	72		the student previously completed one year of ROTC training for each
71	73		year that the student receives the scholarship; [or]
72	74		(B) complete or submit to the board proof that
73	75		the student previously completed another [undergraduate] officer
74	76		commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps
75	77		Platoon Leaders Class; or
76	78		(C) submit to the board proof of the student's
77	79		acceptance into the officer commissioning program for the Texas
78	80		State Guard, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code;
79	81		(2) graduate not later than six years after the date
80	82		the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of
81	83		higher education in this state;
82	84		(3) after graduation, enter into:
83	85		(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the
84	86		Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State
85	87		Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;
86	88		or
87	89		(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
88	90		in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
89	91		(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all
90	92		other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,
91	93		Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast
92	94		Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed
93	95		services with which the student enters into a contract; and
94	96		(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student:
95	97		(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic
96	98		progress;
97	99		(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or
98	100		(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract
99	101		described by Subdivision (3).
100	102		(b) The board shall adopt rules to exempt a student from the
101	103		repayment of a scholarship under an agreement entered into under
102	104		this section if the student is unable to meet the obligations of the
103	105		agreement solely as a result of:
104	106		(1) physical inability; or
105	107		(2) an extraordinary circumstance outside the
106	108		student's control.
107	109		(c) If the board determines that a student who entered into
108	110		an agreement with the board under this section was erroneously
109	111		removed from the scholarship program established under this
110	112		subchapter, the board shall reinstate the student's scholarship if
111	113		the student is currently enrolled in a public or private
112	114		institution of higher education in this state.
113	115		SECTION 4. Section 61.9775, Education Code, is amended to
114	116		read as follows:
115	117		Sec. 61.9775. LIMITATIONS ON SCHOLARSHIP. [(a)] A person
116	118		may not receive a scholarship under this subchapter for more than
117	119		four academic years [after earning a cumulative total of 150 credit
118	120		hours or after being awarded a baccalaureate degree, whichever
119	121		occurs first].
120	122		[(b) A scholarship awarded to a student under this
121	123		subchapter shall be reduced for an academic year by the amount by
122	124		which the full amount of the scholarship plus the total amount to be
123	125		paid to the student for being under contract with one of the
124	126		branches of the armed services of the United States exceeds the
125	127		student's total cost of attendance for that academic year at the
126	128		public or private institution of higher education in which the
127	129		student is enrolled.]
128	130		SECTION 5. Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
129	131		amended by adding Section 61.9777 to read as follows:
130	132		Sec. 61.9777. SCHOLARSHIP COORDINATOR. The board shall
131	133		designate an employee of the board to serve as a scholarship
132	134		coordinator for scholarships awarded under this subchapter. The
133	135		scholarship coordinator shall:
134	136		(1) serve as a liaison and point of contact for
135	137		students appointed to receive a scholarship under this subchapter;
136	138		and
137	139		(2) coordinate with financial aid offices at public
138	140		and private institutions of higher education in this state and with
139	141		relevant military personnel on behalf of scholarship recipients to
140	142		ensure students fully understand the requirements of this
141	143		subchapter.
142	144		SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
143	145		academic year.
144	146		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
145	147		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
146	148		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
147	149		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
148	150		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.