87R10428 CXP-D     By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 2815       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to eligibility for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship   Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a   student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by   this section. The agreement must require the student to:                (1)  complete:                      (A)  one year of ROTC training for each year that   the student receives the scholarship, up to a maximum requirement   of four years of ROTC training; or                      (B)  [complete] another undergraduate officer   commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps   Platoon Leaders Class;                (2)  graduate not later than six years after the date   the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of   higher education in this state;                (3)  after graduation, enter into:                      (A)  a four-year commitment to be a member of the   Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State   Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;   or                      (B)  a contract to serve as a commissioned officer   in any branch of the armed services of the United States;                (4)  meet the physical examination requirements and all   other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,   Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast   Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed   services with which the student enters into a contract; and                (5)  agree to repay the scholarship if the student:                      (A)  fails to maintain satisfactory academic   progress;                      (B)  withdraws from the scholarship program; or                      (C)  fails to fulfill a commitment or contract   described by Subdivision (3).          SECTION 2.  Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended   by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services   Scholarship awarded for the 2021-2022 academic year. A Texas Armed   Services Scholarship awarded for an academic year before that   academic year is governed by the law in effect when the scholarship   was awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that   purpose.          SECTION 3.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board   shall adopt rules for the administration of Section 61.9773(a),   Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after   this Act takes effect.          SECTION 4.  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, 2021.