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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the dissemination of information regarding the cost of |
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attending public and private institutions of higher education and |
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regarding the availability of financial aid to assist in paying |
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that cost. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0777 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0777. UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR PUBLICATION OF COST OF |
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ATTENDANCE INFORMATION. (a) The board shall prescribe uniform |
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standards intended to ensure that information regarding the cost of |
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attendance at institutions of higher education is available to the |
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public in a manner that is consumer-friendly and readily |
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understandable to prospective students and their families. In |
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developing the standards, the board shall examine common and |
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recommended practices regarding the publication of such |
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information and shall solicit recommendations and comments from |
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institutions of higher education and interested private or |
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independent institutions of higher education. |
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(b) The uniform standards must: |
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(1) address all of the elements that constitute the |
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total cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and |
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board costs, book and supply costs, transportation costs, and other |
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personal expenses; and |
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(2) prescribe model language to be used to describe |
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each element of the cost of attendance. |
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(c) Each institution of higher education that offers an |
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undergraduate degree or certificate program shall: |
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(1) prominently display on the institution's Internet |
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website in accordance with the uniform standards prescribed under |
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this section information regarding the cost of attendance at the |
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institution by a full-time entering first-year student; and |
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(2) conform to the uniform standards in any electronic |
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or printed materials intended to provide to prospective |
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undergraduate students information regarding the cost of |
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attendance at the institution. |
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(d) Each institution of higher education shall consider the |
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uniform standards prescribed under this section when providing |
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information to the public or to prospective students regarding the |
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cost of attendance at the institution by nonresident students, |
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graduate students, or students enrolled in professional programs. |
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(e) The board shall prescribe requirements for an |
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institution of higher education to provide on the institution's |
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Internet website consumer-friendly and readily understandable |
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information regarding student financial aid opportunities. The |
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required information must be provided in connection with the |
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information displayed under Subsection (c)(1) and must include a |
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link to the primary federal student financial aid Internet website |
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intended to assist persons applying for student financial aid. |
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(f) The board shall provide on the board's Internet website |
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a program or similar tool that will compute for a person accessing |
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the website the estimated net cost of attendance for a full-time |
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entering first-year student attending an institution of higher |
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education. The board shall require each institution to provide the |
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board with the information the board requires to administer this |
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subsection. |
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(g) The board shall prescribe the initial standards and |
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requirements under this section not later than January 1, 2010. |
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Institutions of higher education shall comply with the standards |
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and requirements not later than April l, 2010. This subsection |
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expires January 1, 2011. |
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(h) The board shall encourage private or independent |
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institutions of higher education approved under Subchapter F to |
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participate in the tuition equalization grant program, to the |
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greatest extent practicable, to prominently display the |
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information described by Subsections (a) and (b) on their Internet |
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websites in accordance with the standards established under those |
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subsections, and to conform to those standards in electronic and |
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printed materials intended to provide to prospective undergraduate |
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students information regarding the cost of attendance at the |
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institutions. The board shall also encourage those institutions to |
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include on their Internet websites a link to the primary federal |
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student financial aid Internet website intended to assist persons |
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applying for student financial aid. |
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(i) The board shall make the program or tool described by |
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Subsection (f) available to private or independent institutions of |
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higher education described by Subsection (h), and those |
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institutions shall make that program or tool, or another program or |
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tool that complies with the requirements for the net price |
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calculator required under Section 132(h)(3), Higher Education Act |
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of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 1015a), available on their Internet |
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websites not later than the date by which the institutions are |
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required by Section 132(h)(3) to make the net price calculator |
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publicly available on their Internet websites. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |