Relating to the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program, the official text

H.B. No. 300

AN ACT

relating to the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 61.9771(b), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b) The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter in an

academic year is the lesser of:

(1) the greater of $30,000 or an amount equal to the

average cost of attendance at an institution of higher education in

this state, as determined by board rule [$15,000]; or

(2) the amount available for each scholarship from

appropriations that may be used for scholarships under this

subchapter for that academic year.

SECTION 2. Section 61.9772, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to

read as follows:

(a) To receive an initial scholarship under this

subchapter, a student must:

(1) be enrolled in a public or private institution of

higher education in this state and, while enrolled at the

institution: [;]

(A) [(2)] enroll in and be a member in good

standing of a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program or

another [undergraduate] officer commissioning program such as the

United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class [while enrolled in

a public or private institution of higher education in this state];

(B) submit to the board proof of the student's

successful completion of a program described by Paragraph (A); or

(C) submit to the board proof of the student's

acceptance into the officer commissioning program for the Texas

State Guard, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code;

(2) [(3)] be appointed to receive a scholarship by the

governor, the lieutenant governor, a state senator, or a state

representative; and

(3) [(4)] enter into an agreement with the board under

Section 61.9773.

(b) In each year, the governor and the lieutenant governor

shall [may] each appoint two students and two alternates and each

state senator and each state representative shall [may] appoint one

student and one alternate to receive an initial scholarship under

this subchapter. If a student appointed under this subsection to

receive a scholarship fails to initially meet eligibility or

otherwise meet the requirements to initially receive the

scholarship, the board [Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board]

must notify the alternate on file of their nomination.

(b-1) A state senator or state representative shall make the

appointments required by Subsection (b) not later than September 30

of each year. If a state senator or state representative fails to

make a timely appointment in accordance with this subsection, the

lieutenant governor or the speaker of the house of representatives,

as appropriate, shall promptly fill the vacancy in appointment or

designate a member of their respective chamber to promptly make the

appointment on their behalf.

SECTION 3. Section 61.9773, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 61.9773. AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (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) satisfy one of the following requirements

[complete]:

(A) complete or submit to the board proof that

the student previously completed one year of ROTC training for each

year that the student receives the scholarship; [or]

(B) complete or submit to the board proof that

the student previously completed another [undergraduate] officer

commissioning program such as the United States Marine Corps

Platoon Leaders Class; or

(C) submit to the board proof of the student's

acceptance into the officer commissioning program for the Texas

State Guard, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code;

(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).

(b) The board shall adopt rules to exempt a student from the

repayment of a scholarship under an agreement entered into under

this section if the student is unable to meet the obligations of the

agreement solely as a result of:

(1) physical inability; or

(2) an extraordinary circumstance outside the

student's control.

(c) If the board determines that a student who entered into

an agreement with the board under this section was erroneously

removed from the scholarship program established under this

subchapter, the board shall reinstate the student's scholarship if

the student is currently enrolled in a public or private

institution of higher education in this state.

SECTION 4. Section 61.9775, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 61.9775. LIMITATIONS ON SCHOLARSHIP. [(a)] A person

may not receive a scholarship under this subchapter for more than

four academic years [after earning a cumulative total of 150 credit

hours or after being awarded a baccalaureate degree, whichever

occurs first].

[(b) A scholarship awarded to a student under this

subchapter shall be reduced for an academic year by the amount by

which the full amount of the scholarship plus the total amount to be

paid to the student for being under contract with one of the

branches of the armed services of the United States exceeds the

student's total cost of attendance for that academic year at the

public or private institution of higher education in which the

student is enrolled.]

SECTION 5. Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 61.9777 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.9777. SCHOLARSHIP COORDINATOR. The board shall

designate an employee of the board to serve as a scholarship

coordinator for scholarships awarded under this subchapter. The

scholarship coordinator shall:

(1) serve as a liaison and point of contact for

students appointed to receive a scholarship under this subchapter;

and

(2) coordinate with financial aid offices at public

and private institutions of higher education in this state and with

relevant military personnel on behalf of scholarship recipients to

ensure students fully understand the requirements of this

subchapter.

SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026

academic year.

SECTION 7. 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, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 300 was passed by the House on April

15, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 3 present, not

voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to

H.B. No. 300 on May 25, 2025, and requested the appointment of a

conference committee to consider the differences between the two

houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report

on H.B. No. 300 on May 31, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 121,

Nays 8, 1 present, not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 300 was passed by the Senate, with

amendments, on May 21, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays

0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference

committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and

that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.

300 on May 30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor