By: Seliger  S.B. No. 886          (In the Senate - Filed February 14, 2017;   February 28, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on   Higher Education; May 1, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable   Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0;   May 1, 2017, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 886 By:  Seliger     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 56.402(b), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  The purpose of this subchapter is to provide a grant of   money to enable eligible students to attend eligible [two-year   public] institutions [of higher education] in this state.          SECTION 2.  Sections 56.404(a), (c), (d), and (f), Education   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  To be eligible initially for a grant under the grant   program, a person must:                (1)  be a resident of this state as determined by   coordinating board rules;                (2)  meet financial need requirements as defined by the   coordinating board;                (3)  be enrolled in an associate or baccalaureate   degree program or a certificate program at an eligible institution;                (4)  be enrolled as an entering student for at least   one-half of a full course load for an entering student in the   associate or baccalaureate degree program or a certificate program,   as determined by the coordinating board;                (5)  have applied for any available financial aid or   assistance; and                (6)  comply with any additional nonacademic   requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this   subchapter.          (c)  A person is not eligible to receive a grant under this   subchapter if the person has been granted:                (1)  an associate degree, if the person is enrolled in   an associate degree or certificate program; or                (2)  a baccalaureate degree.          (d)  A person may not receive a grant under this subchapter   for more than:                (1)  for a person enrolled in an associate degree or   certificate program, 75 semester credit hours or the equivalent; or                (2)  for a person enrolled in a baccalaureate degree   program, the greater of:                      (A)  15 semester credit hours or the equivalent   more than the total number of semester credit hours or the   equivalent required by the institution for the degree program in   which the person is enrolled; or                      (B)  135 semester credit hours or the equivalent.          (f)  A person's eligibility for a grant under this subchapter   ends on:                (1)  the fourth anniversary of the initial award of a   grant under this subchapter to the person and the person's   enrollment in an eligible institution, if the person is enrolled in   a degree or certificate program of two years or less; or                (2)  the fifth anniversary of the initial award of a   grant under this subchapter to the person and the person's   enrollment in an eligible institution, if the person is enrolled in   a degree program of more than two years.          SECTION 3.  Sections 56.405(a), (d), and (f), Education   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  After initially qualifying for a grant under this   subchapter, a person may continue to receive a grant under this   subchapter during each semester or term in which the person is   enrolled at an eligible institution only if the person:                (1)  meets financial need requirements as defined by   the coordinating board;                (2)  is enrolled in an associate or baccalaureate   degree program or a certificate program at an eligible institution;                (3)  is enrolled for at least one-half of a full course   load for a student in an associate or baccalaureate degree program   or a certificate program, as determined by the coordinating board;                (4)  makes satisfactory academic progress toward an   associate or baccalaureate degree or a certificate; and                (5)  complies with any additional nonacademic   requirement adopted by the coordinating board.          (d)  For the purpose of this section, a person makes   satisfactory academic progress toward an associate or   baccalaureate degree or a certificate only if:                (1)  in the person's first academic year the person   meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the   institution at which the person is enrolled; and                (2)  in a subsequent academic year, the person:                      (A)  completes at least 75 percent of the semester   credit hours attempted in the student's most recent academic year;   and                      (B)  has earned an overall grade point average of   at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on course work   previously attempted at institutions of higher education.          (f)  The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a   person who is otherwise eligible to receive a grant under this   subchapter, in the event of a hardship or for other good cause   shown, including a showing of a severe illness or other   debilitating condition that may affect the person's academic   performance or that the person is responsible for the care of a   sick, injured, or needy person and that the person's provision of   care may affect the person's academic performance, to receive a   grant under this subchapter:                (1)  while enrolled in a number of semester credit   hours that is less than the number of semester credit hours required   under Subsection (a)(3); [or]                (2)  if the student's grade point average or completion   rate falls below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of   Subsection (d);                (3)  for a number of semester credit hours that is   greater than the number of semester credit hours permitted under   Section 56.404(d); or                (4)  for a number of years that is greater than the   number of years for which the person is eligible to receive a grant   under Section 56.404(f).          SECTION 4.  Section 56.407(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The amount of a grant under this subchapter for a   student enrolled full-time at an eligible institution is the amount   determined by the coordinating board as the average statewide   amount of tuition and required fees that [a resident student   enrolled full-time in an associate degree or certificate program]   would be charged for that semester or term at eligible institutions   to a resident student enrolled full-time in:                (1)  an associate degree or certificate program, if the   student receiving the grant is enrolled in an associate degree or   certificate program; or                (2)  a baccalaureate degree program, if the student   receiving the grant is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program.          SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to   participation in the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program   beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year.  Participation in the   Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program for an academic year   before the 2018-2019 academic year is governed by the applicable   law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and   the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.     * * * * *