HB5299 - Relating to the establishment of the Texas Promise Grant Program for certain students at two-year public institutions of higher education.

  89R4821 JTZ-F     By: Talarico H.B. No. 5299       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of the Texas Promise Grant Program   for certain students at two-year public institutions of higher   education.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter V to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER V. TEXAS PROMISE GRANT PROGRAM           Sec. 56.651.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                 (1)     "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board.                 (2)  "Eligible institution" means:                       (A)  a public junior college;                       (B)  a public technical institute; or                       (C)  a public state college.                 (3)     "Program"   means the Texas Promise Grant Program   established under this subchapter.                 (4)     "Public junior college," "public technical   institute," and "public state college" have the meanings assigned   by Section 61.003.           Sec.   56.652.     PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas   Promise Grant Program is to provide:                 (1)     assistance in the payment of tuition and mandatory   fees to enable eligible students to attend two-year institutions of   higher education; and                 (2)     an incentive for eligible students to complete an   associate degree or certificate program at two-year institutions of   higher education.           Sec.   56.653.     ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; AWARD OF GRANT AND   INCENTIVE BONUS. (a) The coordinating board shall administer the   program and adopt any rules necessary to implement the program or   this subchapter. The coordinating board shall consult with the   student financial aid officers of eligible institutions in   developing the rules.           (b)     The coordinating board shall award a grant and incentive   bonus to each eligible student under the program.           Sec.   56.654.     INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) To be   eligible initially for a grant under the program, a person must:                 (1)     be a resident of this state as determined by   coordinating board rules;                 (2)     have graduated from high school or received a high   school equivalency certificate within the last three years;                 (3)     be enrolled in an associate degree or certificate   program at an eligible institution;                 (4)     be enrolled as an entering student for at least   one-half of a full course load for an entering student in the   associate degree or certificate program, as determined by the   coordinating board;                 (5)     have applied for any available financial aid or   assistance; and                 (6)     comply with any additional nonacademic or   nonfinancial requirement adopted by the coordinating board under   this subchapter.           (b)     A person is not eligible to receive a grant under the   program if the person has:                 (1)  been granted:                       (A)     a certificate for completion of a certificate   program; or                       (B)  an associate or baccalaureate degree; or                 (2)     completed more than 90 semester credit hours or   the equivalent at an institution of higher education, excluding   semester credit hours or the equivalent earned for a dual credit   course.           (c)     A person may not receive a grant under the program for   more than 75 semester credit hours or the equivalent.           (d)     A person's eligibility for a grant under the program   ends on the third anniversary of the initial award of a grant under   the program to the person and the person's enrollment in an eligible   institution.           Sec.   56.655.     CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC   PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS. (a) After initially qualifying for a   grant under the program, a person may continue to receive a grant   under the program during each semester or term in which the person   is enrolled at an eligible institution only if the person:                 (1)     is enrolled in an associate degree or certificate   program at an eligible institution;                 (2)     is enrolled for at least one-half of a full course   load for a student in an associate degree or certificate program, as   determined by the coordinating board;                 (3)     makes satisfactory academic progress toward an   associate degree or certificate; and                 (4)     complies with any additional nonacademic or   nonfinancial requirement adopted by the coordinating board.           (b)     If a person fails to meet any of the requirements of   Subsection (a) after the completion of any semester or term, the   person may not receive a grant under the program during the next   semester or term in which the person enrolls. A person may become   eligible to receive a grant under the program in a subsequent   semester or term if the person:                 (1)     completes a semester or term during which the   student is not eligible for a grant; and                 (2)  meets all the requirements of Subsection (a).           (c)     For the purpose of this section, a person makes   satisfactory academic progress toward an associate degree or   certificate only if:                 (1)     in the person's first academic year, the person   meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the   institution at which the person is enrolled; and                 (2)  in the subsequent academic year, the person:                       (A)     completes at least 75 percent of the semester   credit hours or the equivalent attempted in the person's most   recent academic year; and                       (B)     has earned an overall grade point average of   at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework   previously attempted at institutions of higher education.           (d)     A person who is eligible to receive a grant under the   program continues to remain eligible to receive the grant if the   person enrolls in or transfers to another eligible institution.           (e)     The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a   person who is otherwise eligible to receive a grant under the   program, in the event of a hardship or for other good cause shown,   including a showing of a severe illness or other debilitating   condition that may affect the person's academic performance or a   showing that the person is responsible for the care of a sick,   injured, or needy person and that the person's provision of care may   affect the person's academic performance, to receive a grant under   the program:                 (1)     while enrolled in a number of semester credit   hours that is less than the number of semester credit hours or the   equivalent required under Subsection (a)(2); or                 (2)     if the student's grade point average or completion   rate falls below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of   Subsection (c).           Sec.   56.656.     GRANT USE. A grant awarded under the program   must be applied first to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees   at an eligible institution.           Sec.   56.657.     GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The amount of a grant   awarded to an eligible student under the program for a semester or   other academic term in which the student is enrolled at an eligible   institution is an amount not to exceed the greater of:                 (1)     the difference between the amount of tuition and   mandatory fees charged to the student by the institution for that   semester or term and the amount of any other gift aid, including   state or federal grants or scholarships, awarded to the student for   that semester or term; or                 (2)  $1,000.           (b)     The coordinating board may adopt rules that allow the   coordinating board to decrease, in proportion to the number of   semester credit hours or the equivalent in which a student is   enrolled, the amount of a grant award under Subsection (a)(2) to a   student who is enrolled in less than a full course load for a   student in an associate degree or certificate program, as   determined by the coordinating board.           (c)     A grant may not be awarded under the program to an   eligible student for a semester or other academic term until any   other gift aid for which the student is eligible has been awarded to   the student and the amount of tuition and mandatory fees owed by the   student has been established for purposes of determining the   appropriate amount of the student's grant under Subsection (a).           (d)     The coordinating board shall issue to each eligible   student a certificate indicating the amount of the grant awarded to   the student.           Sec.   56.658.     INCENTIVE BONUS. (a)   A student receiving a   grant under the program is eligible to receive an incentive bonus on   completion of the student's associate degree or certificate program   at an eligible institution.           (b)     The amount of an incentive bonus awarded under this   section is $1,000.           Sec.   56.659.     NOTIFICATION OF PROGRAM; RESPONSIBILITIES OF   SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a) The coordinating board, in consultation   with all eligible institutions, shall prepare materials designed to   inform prospective students, their parents, and high school   counselors about the program and eligibility for a grant and   incentive bonus under the program. The coordinating board shall   distribute to each eligible institution and to each school district   a copy of the materials prepared under this section.           (b)     Each school district shall notify its high school   students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those   students' parents or guardians of the program and the eligibility   requirements of the program.          SECTION 2.  (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter V, Chapter 56,   Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after   the effective date of thi [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]