88R3153 CXP-D     By: Eckhardt, Campbell S.B. No. 371       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to 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 is enrolled in a degree or certificate program at a   public or private institution of higher education in this state, 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.  Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 61.97731 to read as follows:          Sec. 61.97731.  NOTICE REGARDING MINIMUM AND REQUIRED ROTC   TRAINING.  The board shall post on the board's Internet website and   provide to each student before the student enters into an agreement   with the board under Section 61.9773 information regarding the   number of years of ROTC training that each entity described by   Section 61.9773(a)(3) requires or recommends before entering into a   commitment or contract described by that subdivision.          SECTION 3.  Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, as amended   by this Act, applies beginning with a Texas Armed Services   Scholarship awarded for the 2024-2025 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 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.