Bill Text: TX HB3632 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a housing assistance pilot program to assist certain students enrolled in public junior colleges.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-16 - Referred to Higher Education [HB3632 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3632-Introduced.html
| 88R10797 JRJ-D | ||
| By: Goodwin | H.B. No. 3632 | |
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| relating to the establishment of a housing assistance pilot program | ||
| to assist certain students enrolled in public junior colleges. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter N to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER N. HOUSING ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 130.401. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "pilot | ||
| program" means the housing assistance pilot program established | ||
| under this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 130.402. PILOT PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of the | ||
| pilot program is to provide needs-based grants to assist eligible | ||
| students in the payment of the cost of maintaining housing, | ||
| including payments for eviction prevention, rental payments, and | ||
| deposit fees for rental units. | ||
| Sec. 130.403. ADMINISTRATION OF PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
| Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall administer the | ||
| pilot program in coordination with the Texas Education Agency, the | ||
| Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and the Texas | ||
| Interagency Council for the Homeless. The coordinating board | ||
| shall: | ||
| (1) create a housing assistance fund for the duration | ||
| of the pilot program; and | ||
| (2) deposit in the fund for each academic year of the | ||
| pilot program an amount equal to the amount of any gifts, grants, | ||
| donations, or appropriations designated for the program. | ||
| (b) If the pilot program is not continued by law as of August | ||
| 31, 2027, any money remaining in the fund shall be credited to the | ||
| general revenue fund on that date. | ||
| Sec. 130.404. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS. A junior college | ||
| district with an enrollment of 40,000 students or more is eligible | ||
| to participate in the pilot program. | ||
| Sec. 130.405. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) The coordinating | ||
| board, in consultation with the staff of the participating public | ||
| junior colleges, including student support specialists, the Texas | ||
| Homeless Network, and homeless response system leads for the areas | ||
| in which participating junior colleges are located, shall establish | ||
| eligibility criteria for students to receive a grant under the | ||
| pilot program. The eligibility criteria must: | ||
| (1) require an applicant to be enrolled at a | ||
| participating public junior college; and | ||
| (2) allow for the consideration of an applicant's | ||
| FAFSA application data or other relevant information. | ||
| (b) The coordinating board may apply the eligibility | ||
| criteria to create a formula for the disbursement of money under the | ||
| pilot program. | ||
| Sec. 130.406. THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR. (a) The Texas | ||
| Higher Education Coordinating Board may contract with a third party | ||
| to design and administer the pilot program in consultation with the | ||
| Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the Texas | ||
| Interagency Council for the Homeless. | ||
| (b) A third party administrator shall report to the | ||
| coordinating board and the Texas Education Agency in the manner | ||
| agreed to under a contract entered into under this section. | ||
| Sec. 130.407. REPORTS. (a) Not later than October 1 of | ||
| each even-numbered year, the coordinating board shall prepare a | ||
| report on the effectiveness of the pilot program. The report must | ||
| include a recommendation regarding whether the pilot program should | ||
| be continued, expanded, or terminated. | ||
| (b) The coordinating board shall deliver a copy of the | ||
| report to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature | ||
| having primary jurisdiction over higher education. | ||
| Sec. 130.408. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires | ||
| September 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter N, Chapter 130, Education Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2023-2024 academic | ||
| year. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
