2025S0194-1 03/07/25
By: West S.B. No. 2055
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to participation in the Texas Leadership Scholars Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.891, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
(4) "Eligible institution" means a general academic
teaching institution as defined by Section 61.003.
SECTION 2. Section 61.897, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
follows:
(a) The board, in consultation with general academic
teaching institutions, shall adopt rules for the administration of
the program, including rules providing for the amount and
permissible uses of a scholarship awarded under the program. The
rules must provide that:
(1) the amount of a research scholarship is at least
150 percent of the amount of a leadership scholarship; [and]
(2) a student may not receive a scholarship under
either the leadership or research scholarship program for more than
four years per student per program; and
(3) each eligible institution receives at least one
research scholarship award with remaining research scholarships
awarded to eligible institutions based, in part, on the number of
research doctoral degrees awarded by each institution.
(a-1) In adopting rules under this subchapter, the board may
not adopt a rule that:
(1) limits the general academic teaching institutions
that may participate in the program; or
(2) gives preference to students enrolled in certain
general academic teaching institutions.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt rules to implement Section 61.897, Education Code, as
amended by this Act.
SECTION 4. 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, 2025.