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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the distribution, posting, or provision of information |
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regarding postsecondary education and career opportunities and to |
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the confidentiality of certain information relating to persons |
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provided assistance in accessing postsecondary education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 7.040(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The agency shall prepare information comparing |
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institutions of higher education in this state and post the |
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information on the agency's Internet website. Information prepared |
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under this section shall be made publicly available in a manner that |
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is accessible [given] to any [a] public or private school student |
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seeking [who requests] the information. The information shall: |
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(1) identify postsecondary education and career |
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opportunities, including information that states the benefits of |
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four-year and two-year higher education programs, postsecondary |
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technical education, skilled workforce careers, and career |
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education programs; |
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(2) assist prospective postsecondary students in |
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assessing the value of a certificate program, associate or |
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baccalaureate degree program, or other credential program offered |
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by an institution of higher education by comparing [compare] each |
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institution [of higher education] with other institutions using |
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information included in the electronic tools or platforms developed |
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by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section |
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61.09022(a) [regarding: |
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[(A) the relative cost of tuition; |
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[(B) the retention rate of students; |
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[(C) the graduation rate of students; |
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[(D) the average student debt; |
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[(E) the loan repayment rate of students; and |
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[(F) the employment rate of students]; |
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(3) identify the state's future workforce needs, as |
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projected by the Texas Workforce Commission; [and] |
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(4) include annual starting wage information and |
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educational requirements for the top 25 [10] highest demand jobs in |
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this state, as identified by the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(5) identify the 40 baccalaureate degree programs with |
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the highest average annual wages following graduation; and |
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(6) identify the 20 associate degree or certificate |
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programs with the highest average annual wages following |
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graduation. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.762(b-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) An electronic common admission application form |
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adopted under this section must include a prominent link to the |
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electronic tools or platforms developed by the board under Section |
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61.09022 [comparative gainful employment data regarding |
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institutions of higher education, including information described |
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by Section 7.040, on a website maintained by the board using data |
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compiled by the board in coordination with the Texas Workforce |
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Commission]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.763(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The form must: |
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(1) allow each applicant to: |
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(A) apply electronically to one or more of the |
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general academic teaching institutions within the university |
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system; and |
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(B) indicate preferences for admission between |
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those institutions; and |
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(2) include a prominent link to the electronic tools |
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or platforms developed by the board under Section 61.09022 |
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[comparative gainful employment data regarding institutions of |
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higher education, including information described by Section |
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7.040, on a website maintained by the board using data compiled by |
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the board in coordination with the Texas Workforce Commission]. |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 61.031, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.031. PUBLIC [INTEREST] INFORMATION AND COMPLAINTS. |
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SECTION 5. Section 61.031, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, information |
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that relates to a current, former, or prospective applicant or |
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student of an educational institution and that is obtained, |
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received, or held by the board for the purpose of providing |
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assistance with access to postsecondary education is confidential |
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and excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, |
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and may only be released in conformity with the Family Educational |
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Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). The board |
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may withhold information prohibited from being disclosed under this |
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subsection without requesting a decision from the attorney general |
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under Subchapter G, Chapter 552, Government Code. |
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SECTION 6. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.09022 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.09022. INFORMATION TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN ASSESSING |
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VALUE OF POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS. (a) From money appropriated |
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or otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall develop one |
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or more electronic tools or platforms to provide information to |
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assist prospective postsecondary students in assessing the value of |
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a certificate program, associate or baccalaureate degree program, |
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or other credential program offered by an institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher education |
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by comparing each institution with other institutions regarding: |
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(1) the relative cost of obtaining the certificate, |
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degree, or other credential, based on the most recent data |
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available to the board from the Texas Workforce Commission, |
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institutions of higher education, the federal government, or any |
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other source from which the board may obtain reliable data, |
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including: |
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(A) the cost for each of the following at the 25th |
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percentile, the median, and the 75th percentile: |
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(i) total cost of attendance; |
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(ii) tuition and fees; |
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(iii) room and board; |
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(iv) books and supplies; |
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(v) transportation; and |
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(vi) other costs; and |
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(B) the estimated net cost remaining after |
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subtracting from the amount described by Paragraph (A) the average |
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amount of scholarship and grant aid awarded to the typical student |
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for the program; |
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(2) the value of the certificate, degree, or other |
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credential as measured by comparing: |
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(A) the median wage earned by students who |
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graduated with the certificate, degree, or other credential from |
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the institution; and |
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(B) the median student debt of students who |
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graduated with the certificate, degree, or other credential from |
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the institution as compared to the median student debt of all |
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students who graduated with the certificate, degree, or other |
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credential, based on the most recent data available to the board |
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from the Texas Workforce Commission, institutions of higher |
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education, the federal government, or any other source from which |
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the board may obtain reliable data; |
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(3) the average student debt-to-income ratio of |
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students who graduated with the certificate, degree, or other |
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credential from the institution and have student debt, including |
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the estimated monthly student loan payment, computed using the |
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standard 10-year repayment plan; |
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(4) progress on repaying student loans by students who |
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graduated with the certificate, degree, or other credential from |
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the institution; and |
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(5) educational outcomes for students seeking the |
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certificate, degree, or other credential, including: |
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(A) for a program designed to be completed in |
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more than one year, the percentage of students who continue in the |
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program after the first year of study; |
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(B) the completion rate; |
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(C) the percentage of students who withdraw or |
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transfer from the institution and subsequently graduate with the |
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certificate, degree, or other credential from another institution |
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of higher education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education; |
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(D) the percentage of students who withdraw from |
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the institution and do not enroll in the program at another |
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institution of higher education or private or independent |
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institution of higher education within three years of the |
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withdrawal; and |
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(E) the percentage of graduates employed in the |
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top five industries in this state, as identified by the Texas |
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Workforce Commission, by certificate program, degree program, or |
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other credential program within one year of graduation. |
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(c) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any public or private source to implement this |
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section. |
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(d) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 7. Section 7.040(c), Education Code, is transferred |
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to Section 61.09022, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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redesignated as Section 61.09022(b), Education Code, and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) [(c)] Each institution of higher education shall |
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include on its Internet website, in a prominent location that is not |
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more than three hyperlinks from the website's home page, a link to |
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the electronic tools or platforms developed by the board |
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[information posted on the agency's Internet website] under |
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Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 8. Section 2308A.007, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A credential library established under this section |
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must include the information included in the electronic tools or |
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platforms developed by the coordinating board under Section |
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61.09022(a), Education Code. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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