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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship |
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Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.9772(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To receive an initial scholarship under this |
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subchapter, a student must: |
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(1) be enrolled in a public or private institution of |
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higher education in this state; |
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(2) enroll in and be a member in good standing of a |
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Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program or another |
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undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the United |
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States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class while enrolled in a |
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public or private institution of higher education in this state; |
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(3) be appointed to receive a scholarship by the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, a state senator, or a state |
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representative; and |
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(4) enter into an agreement with the board under |
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Section 61.9773. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a |
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student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by |
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this section. The agreement must require the student to: |
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(1) complete four years of ROTC training or complete |
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another undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the |
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United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class; |
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(2) graduate not later than six years after the date |
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the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of |
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higher education in this state; |
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(3) after graduation, enter into: |
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(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the |
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Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State |
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Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine; |
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or |
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(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer |
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in any branch of the armed services of the United States; |
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(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all |
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other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard, |
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Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast |
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Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed |
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services with which the student enters into a contract; and |
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(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student: |
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(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic |
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progress; |
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(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or |
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(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract |
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described by Subdivision (3). |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with a Texas Armed Services Scholarship awarded for the |
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2017-2018 academic year. A Texas Armed Services Scholarship |
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awarded for an academic year before that academic year is covered by |
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the law in effect when the scholarship was awarded, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the administration of Sections 61.9772 and |
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61.9773, Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as |
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practicable after this Act takes effect. |
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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, 2017. |
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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. 1117 was passed by the House on April |
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20, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1117 was passed by the Senate on May |
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19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, 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 |