Highlights of the 79th Texas Legislature - Senate

EDUCATION/HIGHER
Authorizes the commissioner to make rules to administer the program and to provide preferences based on firstgeneration
college attendance and student financial need.
Allows the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt rules as necessary, and the P-16 Council to make
recommendations for the program.
Changes to Higher Education—S.B. 1227
By Senators Shapiro and West—House Sponsor: Representative Morrison
Many changes to the higher education system were included in H.B. 1227. This bill:
Provides a method of calculating employee benefits for hospitals owned by institutions of higher education (IHEs)
that do not receive state funding.
Provides for a nonvoting student regent on each university system board of regents and the process for selecting the
representative, consistent with that in S.B. 34, 79th Legislature, Regular Session.
Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to use the federal Lender's Special Allowance
program for TEXAS Grants.
Permits student loan funds to be paid to all public and private educational institutions recognized by an accrediting
agency, a regional education service center, or other entity that offers an alternative educator certification program,
which has been approved by the State Board of Education (SBOE), and provides qualifications required of
applicants.
Authorizes THECB to set the maximum term for student loan repayment by board rule and to use tuition set-aside
revenue to repay Texas B-on-Time bonds.
Allows a student to pay tuition and fees on an installment basis except when the student has financial aid awards
available to cover the total amount due and requires an IHE to deduct tuition and fees from any award and
immediately pay any balance to the student.
Allows a governing board of an IHE to postpone the due date for tuition and fees under certain conditions for
students whose financial aid was delayed.
Transfers the identification of members of state military forces eligible for tuition assistance to the adjutant general
from THECB.
Authorizes a governing board to use the student deposit fund and the collegiate license plate revenue to fund TEXAS
Grants awards to resident and nonresident students but prohibits using license plate revenue for emergency loans.
Permits emergency loans to be used to purchase textbooks as well as tuition and fees, and allows an IHE to use a
need basis to select from among applicants, when appropriations are insufficient to meet demand.
Requires employers participating in the federal work-study program to match the percentage of a student's wages
paid by federal work-study revenue with nonfederal money and to fund 100 percent of employee benefits from
nonfederal revenue.
Modifies the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program to:
70 HIGHLIGHTS - 79 TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE