Bill Text: TX HB809 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public institutions of higher education who are homeless or who were formerly in foster care.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-15 - Left pending in committee [HB809 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB809-Engrossed.html
86R10081 SOS-F | ||
By: Thierry, et al. | H.B. No. 809 |
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relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public | ||
institutions of higher education who are homeless or who were | ||
formerly in foster care. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 51.9356, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 51.9356. DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST | ||
STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a) | ||
In this section: | ||
(1) "Institution[ |
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has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
(2) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning | ||
assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student | ||
housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education | ||
during an academic term but who are homeless between academic | ||
terms. | ||
(b) Each institution of higher education shall designate at | ||
least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer | ||
for current and incoming: | ||
(1) students [ |
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the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective | ||
Services; and | ||
(2) students who are homeless. | ||
(c) An institution of higher education may designate under | ||
Subsection (b) the same employee or employees to act as liaison | ||
officer for each student population described in that subsection or | ||
one or more different employees to act as liaison officer for each | ||
of those student populations separately. A [ |
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shall provide to the [ |
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designated information regarding support services including | ||
financial aid, on-campus and off-campus housing, food and meal | ||
programs, and counseling services, [ |
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to the students at the institution of higher education, and any | ||
other relevant information to assist the students. | ||
SECTION 2. The heading to Section 51.978, Education Code, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 51.978. TEMPORARY HOUSING BETWEEN ACADEMIC TERMS FOR | ||
CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP OF | ||
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 51.978(a), Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: | ||
(3) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning | ||
assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student | ||
housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education | ||
during an academic term but who are homeless between academic | ||
terms. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 51.978(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) To be eligible to receive housing assistance from an | ||
institution of higher education under Subsection (c), a student | ||
must: | ||
(1) be: | ||
(A) a student who has [ |
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conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services | ||
or its predecessor in function on the day preceding: | ||
(i) [ |
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(ii) [ |
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disabilities of minority are removed by a court under Chapter 31, | ||
Family Code; or | ||
(B) a student who is homeless; | ||
(2) be enrolled full-time at the institution during | ||
the academic term immediately preceding the period for which the | ||
student requests the housing assistance; | ||
(3) be registered or otherwise have taken the actions | ||
required by the institution to permit the student to enroll | ||
full-time at the institution during the academic term immediately | ||
following the period for which the student requests the housing | ||
assistance; and | ||
(4) lack other reasonable temporary housing | ||
alternatives between the academic terms described by Subdivisions | ||
(2) and (3), as determined by the institution. | ||
SECTION 5. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 51.9781 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 51.9781. PRIORITY ACCESS TO STUDENT HOUSING FOR | ||
STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a) In this section: | ||
(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
(2) "Students who are homeless" has the meaning | ||
assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student | ||
housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education | ||
during an academic term but who are homeless between academic | ||
terms. | ||
(b) Each institution of higher education that maintains | ||
student housing facilities shall give priority in the assignment of | ||
housing in those facilities to students who are homeless. | ||
SECTION 6. Section 61.0908, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.0908. DESIGNATION OF LIAISON OFFICER TO ASSIST | ||
STUDENTS WHO WERE FORMERLY IN FOSTER CARE OR WHO ARE HOMELESS. (a) | ||
In this section, "students who are homeless" has the meaning | ||
assigned to the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 11434a and includes students who reside in a student | ||
housing facility maintained by an institution of higher education | ||
during an academic term but who are homeless between academic | ||
terms. | ||
(b) The board shall designate at least one employee of the | ||
board to act as a liaison officer for the following current and | ||
incoming students at institutions of higher education: | ||
(1) students who were formerly in the conservatorship | ||
of the Department of Family and Protective Services; and | ||
(2) students who are homeless. | ||
(c) The board may designate under Subsection (b) the same | ||
employee or employees to act as liaison officer for each student | ||
population described in that subsection or one or more different | ||
employees to act as liaison officer for each of those student | ||
populations separately. A [ |
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students for whom the officer is designated in coordinating college | ||
readiness and student success efforts relating to the [ |
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students. | ||
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, 2019. |