Bill Text: TX HB3708 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to measures regarding high school completion and enrollment in higher education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - See remarks for effective date [HB3708 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB3708-Engrossed.html
  82R23900 KYF-D
 
  By: Hochberg H.B. No. 3708
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program
  and to the funding of certain exemptions from tuition and fees at
  public institutions of higher education from savings attributable
  to the program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 54.213(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  [Savings to the foundation school fund that occur as a
  result of the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program
  created in Subchapter K, Chapter 56, and that are not required for
  the funding of state credits for tuition and mandatory fees under
  Section 56.204 or school district credits under Section 56.2075
  shall be used first to provide tuition exemptions under Section
  54.212. Any of those savings remaining after providing tuition
  exemptions under Section 54.212 shall be used to provide tuition
  exemptions under Section 54.214.] The Texas Education Agency shall
  [also] accept and make available to provide tuition exemptions
  under Section 54.214 gifts, grants, and donations made to the
  agency for that purpose. The commissioner of education shall
  transfer those funds to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board to distribute to institutions of higher education that
  provide exemptions under that section.  [Payment of funds under
  this subsection shall be made in the manner provided by Section
  56.207 for state credits under Subchapter K, Chapter 56.]
         SECTION 2.  Section 56.204, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  In a total amount not to exceed the amount of funds
  appropriated for the current state fiscal year to pay for [An
  eligible person under the Early High School Graduation Scholarship
  program is entitled to] a state credit to apply toward tuition or
  tuition and mandatory fees, as applicable, at a public or private
  institution of higher education in this state, the commissioner of
  education shall award to eligible persons credits in the following
  amounts:
               (1)  $2,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees
  if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced
  high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated
  from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in 36 consecutive
  months or less and an additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and
  mandatory fees if the person graduated with at least 15 hours of
  college credit;
               (2)  $500 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if
  the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced high
  school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated from
  high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 36
  consecutive months but not more than 41 consecutive months and an
  additional $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees if the
  person graduated with at least 30 hours of college credit;
               (3)  $1,000 to apply toward tuition and mandatory fees
  if the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced
  high school program established under Section 28.025 and graduated
  from high school on or after September 1, 2005, in more than 41
  consecutive months but not more than 45 consecutive months with at
  least 30 hours of college credit; or
               (4)  $1,000 to apply only toward tuition if the person
  graduated before September 1, 2005, after successfully completing
  the requirements for a high school diploma in not more than 36
  consecutive months.
         (a-1)  The commissioner of education by rule shall establish
  the procedure to allocate awards under this section in the event
  that the amount of funds appropriated in a state fiscal year for the
  Early High School Graduation Scholarship program is insufficient to
  allow the commissioner to award credits to all students eligible to
  be awarded a state credit in that fiscal year.
         SECTION 3.  Section 56.207(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  On receipt of a report from the coordinating board under
  Subsection (a), the commissioner of education shall transfer to the
  coordinating board, from funds appropriated for the purpose of the
  Early High [Foundation] School Graduation Scholarship program
  [Program], an amount sufficient to pay each eligible institution of
  higher education the amount of state credit for tuition or tuition
  and mandatory fees, as applicable, that is applied by the
  institution during the period covered by the report.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 56.202(b) and 56.208, Education Code,
  are repealed.
         SECTION 5.  As soon as practicable after this Act takes
  effect, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall revise
  rules adopted under Section 56.209(a), Education Code, as necessary
  to conform to changes made by this Act to Subchapter K, Chapter 56,
  Education Code. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt
  the revisions to those rules in the manner provided by law for
  emergency rules. This section expires September 1, 2012.
         SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by this Act apply
  beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, but do not affect any
  state credit awarded under Subchapter K, Chapter 56, Education
  Code, before the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 7.  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, 2011.
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