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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Promise Grant Program |
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for certain students at two-year public institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter U to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS PROMISE GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 56.601. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Eligible institution" means: |
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(A) a public junior college; |
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(B) a public technical institute; or |
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(C) a public state college. |
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(3) "Public junior college," "public technical |
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institute," and "public state college" have the meanings assigned |
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by Section 61.003. |
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(4) "Program" means the Texas Promise Grant Program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 56.602. PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas |
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Promise Grant Program is to provide assistance in the payment of |
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tuition and mandatory fees to enable eligible students to attend |
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two-year institutions of higher education. |
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Sec. 56.603. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; AWARD OF GRANT. |
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(a) The coordinating board shall administer the program and adopt |
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any rules necessary to implement the program or this subchapter. |
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The coordinating board shall consult with the student financial aid |
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officers of eligible institutions in developing the rules. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall award a grant to each |
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eligible student under the program. |
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Sec. 56.604. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) To be |
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eligible initially for a grant under the program, a person must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) have graduated from high school or received a high |
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school equivalency certificate within the last three years; |
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(3) be enrolled in an associate degree or certificate |
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program at an eligible institution; |
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(4) be enrolled as an entering student for at least |
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one-half of a full course load for an entering student in the |
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associate degree or certificate program, as determined by the |
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coordinating board; |
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(5) have applied for any available financial aid or |
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assistance; and |
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(6) comply with any additional nonacademic or |
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nonfinancial requirement adopted by the coordinating board under |
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this subchapter. |
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(b) A person is not eligible to receive a grant under the |
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program if the person has been convicted of a felony or an offense |
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under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code (Texas Controlled |
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Substances Act), or under the law of another jurisdiction involving |
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a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety |
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Code, unless the person has met the other applicable eligibility |
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requirements under the program and has: |
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(1) received a certificate of discharge by the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or a correctional facility or |
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completed a period of probation ordered by a court, and at least two |
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years have elapsed from the date of the receipt or completion; or |
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(2) been pardoned, had the record of the offense |
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expunged from the person's record, or otherwise been released from |
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the resulting ineligibility to receive a grant under the program. |
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(c) A person is not eligible to receive a grant under the |
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program if the person has: |
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(1) been granted: |
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(A) a certificate for completion of a certificate |
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program; or |
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(B) an associate or baccalaureate degree; or |
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(2) completed more than 90 semester credit hours or |
Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()