Bill Text: TX SR563 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Suspending limitations on conference committee jurisdiction, H.B. No. 2030.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (N/A - Dead) 2021-05-30 - Received by the Secretary of the Senate [SR563 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SR563-Introduced.html

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87R30558 KJE-D
By: West S.R. No. 563

R E S O L U T I O N
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on House
Bill 2030 (certain grant programs, scholarships, and initiatives
administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) to
consider and take action on the following matters:
(1) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the bill by adding the following SECTIONS to
the bill:
SECTION 2. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a
student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by
this section. The agreement must require the student to:
(1) complete:
(A) one year of ROTC training for each year that
the student receives the scholarship, up to a maximum requirement
of four years of ROTC training; or
(B) [complete] another undergraduate officer
commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps
Platoon Leaders Class;
(2) graduate not later than six years after the date
the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of
higher education in this state;
(3) after graduation, enter into:
(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the
Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State
Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;
or
(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all
other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,
Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast
Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed
services with which the student enters into a contract; and
(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student:
(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic
progress;
(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or
(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract
described by Subdivision (3).
SECTION 3. Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.97731 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.97731. NOTICE REGARDING MINIMUM AND REQUIRED ROTC
TRAINING. The board shall post on the board's Internet website and
provide to each student before the student enters into an agreement
with the board under Section 61.9773 information regarding the
number of years of ROTC training that each entity described by
Section 61.9773(a)(3) requires or recommends before entering into a
commitment or contract described by that subdivision.
SECTION 6. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended
by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services
Scholarship awarded for the 2022-2023 academic year. A Texas Armed
Services Scholarship awarded for an academic year before that
academic year is governed by the law in effect when the scholarship
was awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
Explanation: This change is necessary to require students who
receive a scholarship under the Texas Armed Services Scholarship
Program to complete a certain number of years of ROTC training and
to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to provide
notice to those students of certain information regarding ROTC
training.
(2) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the bill by adding the following SECTION to the
bill:
SECTION 4. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter OO to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER OO. TEXAS BRAIN UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE
Sec. 61.9971. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Advisory board" means the Texas brain university
research initiative advisory board.
(2) "Distinguished researcher" means a researcher who
is an expert in:
(A) the causes of and prevention, treatment,
rehabilitation, and cures for brain-related diseases, syndromes,
disorders, dysfunction, injuries, developmental issues,
neurological health issues, mental and behavioral health issues,
and substance abuse disorders and other addictions; or
(B) any other area impacting the brain, including
an area that directly or indirectly impacts or is impacted by the
brain or brain health, such as the gut microbiome, nutrition, and
the spinal cord or nervous system.
(3) "Eligible institution" means a general academic
teaching institution, a health-related institution, a nonprofit
research institution, and a private or independent college or
university located in this state and accredited by a recognized
accrediting agency. The term includes a historically black college
or university.
(4) "Fund" means the Texas brain university research
initiative fund established under this subchapter.
(5) "Health-related institution" means:
(A) a medical and dental unit and any other
public health science center, public medical school, or public
dental school established by statute or in accordance with this
chapter; and
(B) a private medical, dental, or public health
college or university located in this state and accredited by a
recognized accrediting agency.
Sec. 61.9972. ADMINISTRATION OF INITIATIVE. (a) The Texas
brain university research initiative is administered by the board.
(b) From the Texas brain university research initiative
fund, the board shall award matching grants to assist eligible
institutions in recruiting distinguished researchers.
(c) The board may adopt any rules the board considers
necessary to administer this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9973. MATCHING GRANTS. (a) An eligible
institution may apply to the board for a matching grant from the
fund. The board may only consider grant applications that are
recommended to the board by the advisory board. If the board
approves a grant application, the board shall award to the
applicant institution a grant amount equal to the amount committed
by the institution for the recruitment of a distinguished
researcher, except as provided by Subsection (c)(2).
(b) A grant application must identify the source and amount
of the eligible institution's matching funds and must demonstrate
that the proposed use of the grant has the support of the
institution's president. An applicant eligible institution may
commit for matching purposes any funds of the institution available
for that purpose other than appropriated general revenue.
(c) The board may set one or more deadlines for grant
applications for each state fiscal year. After fully funding
approved grant applications received during an application period
for a state fiscal year, the board may reopen applications for that
year and:
(1) award the full amount of matching funds from the
fund for new applications; or
(2) approve previously disapproved applications
submitted before the original application deadline for receipt of a
reduced grant amount.
(d) A matching grant received by an eligible institution
under this subchapter may not be considered as a basis to reduce,
directly or indirectly, the amount of money otherwise appropriated
to the institution.
(e) A matching grant may not be used by an eligible
institution to recruit a distinguished researcher or other employee
from:
(1) another eligible institution; or
(2) a private or independent institution of higher
education.
(f) The board shall require an application and all
supporting documentation to be submitted to the board
electronically in the manner prescribed by the board.
Sec. 61.9974. GRANT AWARD CRITERIA; PRIORITIES. (a) In
awarding grants, the board shall give priority to proposals that:
(1) involve the recruitment of distinguished
researchers, including researchers who study mental and behavioral
health issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic; or
(2) demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of
contributing substantially to this state's national and global
economic competitiveness.
(b) A grant proposal must include a description of the
distinguished researcher or researchers the grant applicant is
recruiting and the research field of the distinguished researcher
or researchers, and may include a sample list of potential
distinguished researcher targets.
Sec. 61.9975. TEXAS BRAIN UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE
FUND. (a) The Texas brain university research initiative fund is a
dedicated account in the general revenue fund.
(b) The fund consists of:
(1) amounts appropriated or otherwise allocated or
transferred by law to the fund; and
(2) gifts, grants, and other donations received for
the fund.
(c) The fund may be used by the board only for the purposes
of this subchapter, including for necessary expenses incurred in
the administration of the fund and this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9976. CONFIDENTIALITY. Information collected or
obtained by the board or the advisory board concerning the identity
of a particular distinguished researcher who is the subject of a
grant proposal under this subchapter is confidential unless the
researcher and the applicant eligible institution consent to
disclosure of the information. The information remains
confidential until the date, if any, on which the researcher enters
into an employment relationship with the recruiting institution as
contemplated in the grant proposal.
Sec. 61.9977. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The Texas brain
university research initiative advisory board is established to
assist the board with the review and evaluation of applications for
funding of grant proposals under this subchapter. The advisory
board shall make recommendations to the board for approval or
disapproval of those applications.
(b) The advisory board must be composed of at least nine
members appointed by the governor. Of the members of the board:
(1) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
must have a background in finance;
(2) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
must have an academic background in science, medicine, or brain
health; and
(3) one-third of the members, as nearly as possible,
must be public members.
(c) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
size, composition, or duration of the advisory board.
(d) A member of the advisory board who is or has been
employed by, is or has been a party to a contract for any purpose
with, or is a student or former student of an applicant eligible
institution may not be involved in the review, evaluation, or
recommendation of a grant proposal made by that institution.
(e) An advisory board member is not required to be a
resident of this state.
(f) Appointments to the advisory board shall be made without
regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
national origin of the appointees.
(g) Members of the advisory board serve without
compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and
necessary expenses in attending meetings of the advisory board or
performing other official duties authorized by the board.
(h) The advisory board shall develop a research plan to
foster synergistic investigation into brain health and research by
eligible institutions.
Explanation: This change is necessary to provide for the
creation of the Texas brain university research initiative.