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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the tuition rebate program for certain undergraduate |
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students at general academic teaching institutions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.0065, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), (j), |
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and (k) to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsections (b-1) and (b-2), the |
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[The] amount of tuition to be rebated to a student graduating in an |
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academic year [under this section] is the amount certified for that |
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academic year to the governing board of the general academic |
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teaching institution by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board under this section. |
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(b-1) The amount of tuition to be rebated to a student is two |
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times the certified amount if the student satisfies the |
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requirements of this section in three years or less. |
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(b-2) If [$1,000, unless] the total amount of undergraduate |
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tuition paid by the student to the general academic teaching |
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institution [of higher education] awarding the degree was less than |
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the full amount of rebate under Subsection (b) or (b-1), as |
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applicable, [$1,000, in which event] the amount of tuition to be |
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rebated is an amount equal to the amount of undergraduate tuition |
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paid by the student to the institution. However, the [a] student |
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[who paid the institution awarding the degree an amount of
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undergraduate tuition less than $1,000] may qualify for an increase |
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in the amount of the rebate, not to exceed the applicable amount |
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under Subsection (b) or (b-1) [a total rebate of $1,000], for any |
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amount of undergraduate tuition the student paid to other |
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institutions of higher education by providing the institution with |
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proof of the total amount of that tuition paid to other institutions |
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of higher education. |
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(j) Not later than August 15 of each academic year, the |
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coordinating board shall determine and certify to the governing |
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board of each general academic teaching institution the amount of |
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tuition to be rebated by that institution under Subsection (b) to |
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each student graduating in the next academic year. The amount |
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certified must equal the rebate amount certified in the preceding |
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academic year to the general academic teaching institution under |
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this subsection for rebates awarded under Subsection (b) in the |
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current academic year, increased by a percentage, expressed in |
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decimal form rounded to the nearest hundredth, that equals the |
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percentage by which that institution has increased from the current |
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academic year to the next academic year the total amount of tuition |
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charged under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing the |
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institution to establish tuition rates. |
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(k) Notwithstanding Subsection (j), not later than October |
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31, 2009, the coordinating board shall determine and certify to the |
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governing board of each general academic teaching institution the |
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amount of tuition to be rebated by that institution under |
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Subsection (b) to students graduating in the 2009-2010 academic |
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year. The amount certified must equal the full amount of a rebate |
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authorized to be awarded by general academic teaching institutions |
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under Subsection (b), as that subsection existed on January 1, |
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2009, during the 2008-2009 academic year, increased by a |
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percentage, expressed in decimal form rounded to the nearest |
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hundredth, that equals the percentage by which the institution for |
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which the certification is made has increased from the 2003-2004 |
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academic year to the 2009-2010 academic year the total amount of |
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tuition charged under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing |
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the institution to establish tuition rates. For purposes of |
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Subsection (j), the amount certified under this subsection is |
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considered to have been certified under Subsection (j) on August |
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15, 2009. This subsection expires January 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies |
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only to a student who is awarded a baccalaureate degree from a |
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general academic teaching institution on or after September 1, |
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2009. |
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(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt |
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rules under Section 54.0065, Education Code, as amended by this |
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Act, for rebates awarded during the 2009-2010 academic year in the |
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manner provided by law for the adoption of emergency rules. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2009. |
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* * * * * |