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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to financial assistance funded from the amounts of certain |
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fees charged to students enrolled at public institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER B. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUNDED |
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FROM DESIGNATED TUITION AND STUDENT FEES |
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Sec. 56.0105. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "student |
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fee" means a fee authorized by Section 54.504 or a fee or other |
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charge authorized by Section 55.16(a). The term does not include an |
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application fee or a fee for participation in a study abroad program |
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or a field trip or other organized off-campus activity. |
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Sec. 56.011. RESIDENT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANCE. |
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(a) The governing board of each institution of higher education |
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shall cause to be set aside not less than 20 percent of the total |
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amount of: |
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(1) any amount of tuition charged to a resident |
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undergraduate student under Section 54.0513 in excess of $46 per |
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semester credit hour; |
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(2) any student fee first imposed in the 2009 fall |
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semester or a subsequent semester or term; and |
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(3) any student fee increase that takes effect in the |
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2009 fall semester or a subsequent semester or term. |
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(b) The funds set aside under this section by an institution |
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shall be used to provide financial assistance for resident |
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undergraduate students enrolled in the institution. |
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(c) [(b)] To be eligible for assistance under this section, |
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a student must establish financial need in accordance with rules |
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and procedures established by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board. Priority shall be given to students who meet |
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the coordinating board definition of financial need and whose cost |
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for tuition and required fees is not met through other non-loan |
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financial assistance programs. |
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(d) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under this |
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section: |
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(1) may include grants, scholarships, or work-study |
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programs; and |
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(2) may not include[,] student loans or[, and] student |
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loan repayment assistance. |
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Sec. 56.012. RESIDENT GRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANCE. (a) |
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The governing board of each institution of higher education shall |
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cause to be set aside not less than 15 percent of the total amount |
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of: |
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(1) any amount of tuition charged to a resident |
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student enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program under |
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Section 54.0513 in excess of $46 per semester credit hour; |
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(2) any student fee first imposed in the 2009 fall |
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semester or a subsequent semester or term; and |
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(3) any student fee increase that takes effect in the |
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2009 fall semester or a subsequent semester or term. |
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(b) The funds set aside under this section by an institution |
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shall be used to provide financial assistance for resident students |
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enrolled in graduate and professional degree programs at the |
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institution. |
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(c) [(b)] To be eligible for assistance under this section, |
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a student must establish financial need in accordance with rules |
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and procedures established by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board. Priority shall be given to students who meet |
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the coordinating board definition of financial need and whose cost |
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for tuition and required fees is not met through other non-loan |
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financial assistance programs. |
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(d) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under this |
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section: |
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(1) may include grants, scholarships, or work-study |
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programs; and |
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(2) may not include[,] student loans or[, and] student |
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loan repayment assistance. |
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Sec. 56.013. INFORMATION REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE |
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FUNDED FROM DESIGNATED TUITION AND STUDENT FEES. The Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall disseminate to each public or |
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accredited private high school in this state information regarding |
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the financial assistance available under this subchapter and shall |
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include information designed to educate high school students and |
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the parents of those students on available opportunities and |
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required preparation with respect to institutions of higher |
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education. The coordinating board shall recommend a method of |
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delivery of the information to parents and students under this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to |
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student fees and charges charged beginning with the 2009 fall |
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semester. |
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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. |