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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibiting discrimination based on a student's |
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secondary school in awarding certain financial aid for higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 56.304(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person |
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must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) meet either of the following academic |
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requirements: |
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(A) be a graduate of a public or [accredited] |
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private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than the |
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1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or advanced |
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high school curriculum established under Section [28.002 or] 28.025 |
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or its equivalent; or |
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(B) have received an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education not earlier than |
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May 1, 2001; |
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(3) meet financial need requirements as defined by the |
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coordinating board; |
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(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or |
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certificate program at an eligible institution; |
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(5) be enrolled as: |
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(A) an entering undergraduate student for at |
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least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering |
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undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not |
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later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation |
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from high school; or |
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(B) an entering student for at least |
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three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as |
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determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month |
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after the month the person receives an associate degree from a |
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public or private institution of higher education; |
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(6) have applied for any available financial aid or |
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assistance; and |
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(7) comply with any additional nonacademic |
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requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.455, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.455. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR LOAN. To be eligible |
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initially for a Texas B-On-time loan, a person must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state under Section 54.052 or |
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be entitled, as a child of a member of the armed forces of the United |
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States, to pay tuition at the rate provided for residents of this |
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state under Section 54.058; |
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(2) meet one of the following academic requirements: |
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(A) be a graduate of a public or [accredited] |
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private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than the |
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2002-2003 school year under the recommended or advanced high school |
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program established under Section 28.025(a) or its equivalent; |
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(B) be a graduate of a high school operated by the |
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United States Department of Defense who: |
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(i) graduated from that school not earlier |
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than the 2002-2003 school year; and |
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(ii) at the time of graduation from that |
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school was a dependent child of a member of the armed forces of the |
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United States; or |
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(C) have received an associate degree from an |
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eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2005; |
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(3) be enrolled for a full course load for an |
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undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, in |
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an undergraduate degree or certificate program at an eligible |
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institution; |
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(4) be eligible for federal financial aid, except that |
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a person is not required to meet any financial need requirement |
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applicable to a particular federal financial aid program; and |
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(5) comply with any additional nonacademic |
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requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act in amending |
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Sections 56.304(a) and 56.455, Education Code, applies beginning |
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with student financial aid awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year. |
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The change in law does not affect student financial aid awarded for |
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an academic period before that academic year, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |