Bill Text: TX SB689 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a public safety dual credit grant program by the Texas Education Agency.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-17 - Referred to Education [SB689 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB689-Introduced.html
| 88R3726 CXP-D | ||
| By: Middleton | S.B. No. 689 | |
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| relating to the establishment of a public safety dual credit grant | ||
| program by the Texas Education Agency. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 29.9081 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.9081. PUBLIC SAFETY DUAL CREDIT GRANT PROGRAM. (a) | ||
| From funds appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the | ||
| agency shall establish and administer a program to provide grants | ||
| to eligible students who enroll while in high school in a dual | ||
| credit public safety degree or certificate program at a public | ||
| institution of higher education. | ||
| (b) The commissioner by rule shall establish eligibility | ||
| criteria to receive a grant under this section. The criteria must: | ||
| (1) require a student to enter into an agreement with | ||
| the agency to: | ||
| (A) complete the student's public safety degree | ||
| or certificate program within a period prescribed by commissioner | ||
| rule; and | ||
| (B) on completion of the student's degree or | ||
| certificate program and any other prerequisites for employment as a | ||
| peace officer or other public safety officer in this state, | ||
| complete a number of years of employment as a peace officer or other | ||
| public safety officer in this state, as prescribed by commissioner | ||
| rule; and | ||
| (2) provide that a student who establishes initial | ||
| eligibility for a grant under this section remains eligible for a | ||
| grant under this section for the duration of the student's | ||
| enrollment in a public safety degree or certificate program at a | ||
| public institution of higher education as long as the student | ||
| continues to: | ||
| (A) make satisfactory academic progress toward | ||
| the degree or certificate; and | ||
| (B) meet other requirements prescribed by | ||
| commissioner rule. | ||
| (c) The amount of a grant awarded to a student under this | ||
| section is equal to the cost of tuition and required fees incurred | ||
| by the student for enrollment in a public safety degree or | ||
| certificate program at a public institution of higher education. | ||
| (d) A student receiving a grant under this section may use | ||
| the money only to pay the cost of tuition and required fees incurred | ||
| by the student for enrollment in a public safety degree or | ||
| certificate program at a public institution of higher education. | ||
| (e) The agency may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations from any public or private source for the purpose of this | ||
| section. | ||
| (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish and | ||
| administer the grant program under this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall establish the public | ||
| safety dual credit grant program under Section 29.9081, Education | ||
| Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| 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. | ||
