HBA-MPA H.B. 195 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 195 By: Longoria Appropriations 4/14/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas provides $50,000 to the surviving family of certain public servants killed in the line of duty. H.B. 195 increases the benefits paid to such survivors to $250,000 and also gives surviving dependent children an opportunity to attend an institution of higher learning by exempting them from payment of tuition and room and board. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 615.022, Government Code, to require the state to pay an eligible surviving spouse of certain public servants $250,000, rather than $50,000. SECTION 2. Amends Section 615.023, Government Code, as follows: Sec. 615.023 PAYMENT TO SURVIVING MINOR CHILD. (a) Requires the state to pay the guardian or legal representative of an eligible surviving minor child $500, rather than $200, per month if there is one child, $750, rather than $300, per month if there are two children, or $1,000, rather than $400, per month if there are three or more children. (b) Provides that a child's entitlement to assistance continues until the child's 21st birthday or, if the child is enrolled full-time as a student at a public institution of higher education as defined by Sec. 61.003(8), Education Code, until the child receives a bachelor's degree, earns 200 credit hours, or ceases to be enrolled as a full-time student, whichever occurs first. Makes nonsubstantive changes. (c) Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. (d) Created from existing Subsection (c). (e) Provides that failure to register for a summer semester does not affect a child's status as a full-time student. SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 615, Government Code, by adding Section 615.0235, as follows: Sec. 615.0235. EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE OR MINOR CHILD. (a) Provides that education benefits apply only to an eligible surviving spouse or minor child who is enrolled as a full-time student at an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003(8), Education Code. (b) Provides that such student is exempt from tuition and fees at the institution of higher education until the student receives a bachelor's degree or 200 credit hours, whichever occurs first. (c) Requires the institution to pay the cost of food and housing until the student receives a bachelor's degree or 200 course hours, whichever occurs first, if the student elects and qualifies to reside in housing provided by the institution of higher education. Requires the institution to pay the student a monthly amount equivalent to what the institution would have spent if the student had resided in housing provided by the institution, if space is not available at the institution's housing. Provides that these amounts are to be paid from the general revenue appropriated to the institution and that the institution is not required to make these payments if the student would not qualify to reside in housing provided by the institution. (d) Requires the institution to pay, from its general revenue appropriation, the cost of the student's textbooks until the student receives a bachelor's degree or 200 credit hours, whichever occurs first. (e) Provides that education benefits are in addition to any payment made under Sections 615.022 or 615.023 to an eligible surviving spouse or minor child. SECTION 4. Amends Section 615.024, Government Code, to require the state to pay an eligible surviving parent $250,000, rather than $50,000, if there is only one parent, and $125,000 each, rather than $25,000 each, if there are two parents. SECTION 5. Amends Section 615.025, Government Code, to require the state to pay an eligible surviving dependent sibling an equal share of $250,000, divided among all eligible siblings rather than monthly payments up to age 18 based on the number of eligible siblings, as was previously provided. Redesignates existing subsection (c) as subsection (b). SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 7. Emergency clause.