The bill, S.B. No. 2055, amends the Education Code to enhance the Texas Leadership Scholars Program by clarifying definitions and establishing new rules for scholarship administration. It introduces a new definition for "eligible institution," specifying that it refers to a general academic teaching institution as defined in Section 61.003. Additionally, the bill modifies the existing rules regarding scholarship amounts and eligibility, ensuring that a research scholarship is at least 150% of a leadership scholarship and that students can only receive scholarships for a maximum of four years per program.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that each eligible institution must receive at least one research scholarship award, with additional awards distributed based on the number of research doctoral degrees conferred by each institution. It also prohibits the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from adopting rules that limit participation to certain institutions or favor students from specific institutions. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 61.891, Education Code 61.897 (Education Code 61)