Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4303 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Howard H.B. No. 4303
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6	6	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	relating to the establishment of the Texas First Generation
9	9	Matching Grant Program for certain students at public institutions
10	10	of higher education.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
13	13	Subchapter N to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS FIRST GENERATION MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 56.331. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
16	16	(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
17	17	Education Coordinating Board.
18	18	(2) "Eligible institution" means an institution of
19	19	higher education that meets the eligibility criteria adopted by the
20	20	coordinating board under Section 56.338.
21	21	(3) "First generation college student" means a student
22	22	whose parents have not earned a baccalaureate degree or a higher
23	23	degree, including a student who regularly resides with and receives
24	24	support from only one parent who has not earned a baccalaureate
25	25	degree.
26	26	(4) "Program" means the Texas First Generation
27	27	Matching Grant Program established under this subchapter.
28	28	Sec. 56.332. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. The
29	29	coordinating board shall establish and administer the Texas First
30	30	Generation Matching Grant Program to provide financial assistance
31	31	to eligible first generation college students enrolled at eligible
32	32	institutions.
33	33	Sec. 56.333. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) To be
34	34	initially eligible to participate in the program for an academic
35	35	year, a student must:
36	36	(1) be a first generation college student who resides
37	37	in this state;
38	38	(2) be a citizen of the United States or an eligible
39	39	noncitizen described by 20 U.S.C. Section 1091(a)(5);
40	40	(3) be enrolled at an eligible institution in an
41	41	associate or baccalaureate degree program;
42	42	(4) be enrolled in at least six semester credit hours
43	43	or the equivalent;
44	44	(5) complete the Free Application for Federal Student
45	45	Aid (FAFSA);
46	46	(6) have financial need as determined by the eligible
47	47	institution based on the United States Department of Education
48	48	Student Aid Index (SAI) formula;
49	49	(7) have not previously been awarded a baccalaureate
50	50	degree; and
51	51	(8) comply with any additional eligibility
52	52	requirement adopted by the coordinating board under Section 56.338.
53	53	(b) After initially qualifying for a grant under the
54	54	program, a student may continue to receive a grant under the program
55	55	for a subsequent academic year if the student continues to meet all
56	56	eligibility requirements described by Subsection (a).
57	57	Sec. 56.334. APPLICATION PROCESS. An eligible student may
58	58	apply for the program through the financial aid office of the
59	59	eligible institution in which the student is enrolled.
60	60	Sec. 56.335. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The amount of a grant
61	61	awarded to an eligible student for an academic year under the
62	62	program shall be determined by the eligible institution at which
63	63	the student is enrolled based on:
64	64	(1) the student's financial need determined in
65	65	accordance with Section 56.333(a)(6); and
66	66	(2) the total amount of funding available to the
67	67	institution for distribution under the program for that academic
68	68	year.
69	69	(b) The amount of a grant awarded to an eligible student for
70	70	an academic year may not exceed the student's estimated cost of
71	71	attendance for the academic year.
72	72	Sec. 56.336. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board and each
73	73	eligible institution may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
74	74	donations from any public or private source for the program.
75	75	(b) From money appropriated by the legislature or otherwise
76	76	available to the coordinating board for the program, the
77	77	coordinating board shall provide to each eligible institution
78	78	matching funds in the amount of at least one dollar for each dollar
79	79	received by the institution for the program from a private source.
80	80	(c) Matching funds received by an eligible institution
81	81	under this section may be used only to provide grants under the
82	82	program.
83	83	(d) To qualify to receive matching grant funds for an
84	84	academic year, an eligible institution must annually certify to the
85	85	coordinating board, not later than the date prescribed by
86	86	coordinating board rule, the amount of private contributions
87	87	received by the institution for the program.
88	88	Sec. 56.337. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY. An eligible
89	89	institution annually shall submit to the coordinating board and
90	90	each standing committee of the legislature with primary
91	91	jurisdiction over higher education a written report that includes:
92	92	(1) the number of students to whom the institution
93	93	awarded grants under the program for the most recent academic year;
94	94	(2) the total amount of private contributions the
95	95	institution received and certified for matching funds in accordance
96	96	with Section 56.336;
97	97	(3) demographic information of students described by
98	98	Subdivision (1); and
99	99	(4) the retention and graduate rates of students to
100	100	whom the institution has awarded grants under the program.
101	101	Sec. 56.338. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt
102	102	rules for the administration of the program, including:
103	103	(1) any additional criteria for a student to be
104	104	eligible to participate in the program, including application
105	105	requirements;
106	106	(2) eligibility criteria for an institution of higher
107	107	education to participate in the program;
108	108	(3) procedures to oversee the disbursement of grant
109	109	funds awarded by eligible institutions under the program; and
110	110	(4) rules to ensure compliance with any relevant
111	111	federal or state law or rule.
112	112	SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
113	113	shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter N, Chapter
114	114	56, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable
115	115	after the effective date of this Act.
116	116	SECTION 3. Subchapter N, Chapter 56, Education Code, as
117	117	added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2026-2027 academic
118	118	year.
119	119	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
120	120	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
121	121	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
122	122	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
123	123	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.