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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of certain subsidies and scholarships to |
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particular public school students or graduates. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.190 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.190. SUBSIDY FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION. (a) A |
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student is entitled to a subsidy under this section if the student: |
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(1) successfully completes the career and technology |
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program of a school district in which the student receives training |
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and instruction for employment in a certain trade or occupation; |
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(2) passes a certification examination to qualify for |
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a license or certificate for the trade or occupation; and |
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(3) demonstrates financial need. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt guidelines for determining |
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financial need consistent with the definition of financial need |
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adopted by the College Board and Education Testing Service. |
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(c) On approval by the commissioner, the agency shall pay |
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each eligible student an amount equal to the cost paid by the |
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student for the certification examination. To obtain a subsidy |
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under this section, a student must: |
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(1) pay the fee for the examination; and |
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(2) submit to the commissioner a written application |
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on a form prescribed by the commissioner demonstrating financial |
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need and the amount of the fee paid by the student for the |
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certification examination. |
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(d) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.203, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) To be eligible for an award through the Early High |
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School Graduation Scholarship program, a person must: |
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(1) have graduated from a public high school in this |
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state: |
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(A) in not more than 41 consecutive months and |
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successfully completed the recommended or advanced high school |
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program established under Section 28.025, if the person graduated |
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on or after September 1, 2005; |
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(B) in not more than 46 [45] consecutive months, |
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with at least 30 hours of college credit, and successfully |
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completed the recommended or advanced high school program |
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established under Section 28.025, if the person graduated on or |
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after September 1, 2005; or |
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(C) in not more than 36 consecutive months after |
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successfully completing the requirements for a high school diploma, |
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if the person graduated before September 1, 2005, regardless of |
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whether the person successfully completed the recommended or |
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advanced high school program established under Section 28.025; |
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(2) have attended [high school exclusively in] one or |
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more public high schools in this state for the majority of time the |
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person attended high school; and |
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(3) be a citizen of the United States or otherwise |
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lawfully authorized to be present in the United States [Texas
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resident as defined by coordinating board rule]. |
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(e) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for |
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determining whether a person attended public high school in this |
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state as required by Subsection (a)(2). |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act to Section |
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56.203, Education Code, apply only to a student who graduates from a |
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public high school in this state on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. A student who graduates from a public high school in this |
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state before the effective date of this Act and the student's |
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eligibility to participate in the Early High School Graduation |
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Scholarship program are governed by the law in effect immediately |
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before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2383 was passed by the House on May |
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10, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 2, 2 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 2383 on May 25, 2007, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 2383 on May 27, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 148, |
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Nays 0, 2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2383 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 23, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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2383 on May 27, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |