The bill, S.B. No. 158, establishes the Texas Emergency Aid for Public Postsecondary Students (TEAPPS) grant program, aimed at providing emergency aid grants to students at certain public institutions of higher education. The program is designed to assist students facing unexpected expenses or circumstances that could hinder their progress toward completing their degree programs. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will administer the program, develop a competitive application process for eligible institutions, and set rules for implementation. Institutions must meet specific criteria, such as having a significant percentage of students receiving Pell grants or being designated as Minority Serving Institutions, to qualify for the grants.

Institutions awarded grants under the TEAPPS program must adopt policies defining "emergency," allocate additional funds for emergency aid, and partner with organizations to provide wraparound support services. The total funding for the program is capped at $2 million per academic year, with individual grants not exceeding $50,000. Emergency aid to students is limited to $1,000 per award, and institutions must establish an efficient application process that includes electronic submissions and bilingual support. The bill mandates that the Coordinating Board begin awarding grants no earlier than the 2026-2027 academic year, with the program's rules to be adopted as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.

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