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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the portion of designated tuition set aside to provide |
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student financial assistance at institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 56.011 and 56.012, Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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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 any amount of |
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tuition charged to a resident undergraduate student under Section |
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54.0513 in excess of $46 per semester credit hour. The funds set |
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aside under this section by an institution shall be used to provide |
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financial assistance for resident undergraduate students enrolled |
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in the institution. |
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(b) To be eligible for assistance, including the funding of |
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a tuition and fee exemption, under this section, a student must |
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establish financial need in accordance with rules and procedures |
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established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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(c) In using funds set aside under this section, priority |
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[Priority] shall be given to funding tuition and fee exemptions |
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under Section 54.341 for eligible students who qualify for |
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exemptions under that section. |
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(d) Any remaining funds available under this section after |
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the use of funds required under Subsection (c) shall be used to |
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provide financial assistance to eligible students [meet the
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coordinating board definition of financial need and] whose cost for |
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tuition and required fees is not met through other non-loan |
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financial assistance programs. |
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(e) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under |
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Subsection (d) [this section] may include grants, scholarships, |
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work-study programs, student loans, and student loan repayment |
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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 any amount of |
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tuition charged to a resident student enrolled in a graduate or |
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professional degree program under Section 54.0513 in excess of $46 |
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per semester credit hour. The funds set aside under this section by |
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an institution shall be used to provide financial assistance for |
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resident students enrolled in graduate and professional degree |
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programs at the institution. |
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(b) To be eligible for assistance, including the funding of |
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a tuition and fee exemption, under this section, a student must |
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establish financial need in accordance with rules and procedures |
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established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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(c) In using funds set aside under this section, priority |
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[Priority] shall be given to funding tuition and fee exemptions |
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under Section 54.341 for eligible students who qualify for |
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exemptions under that section. |
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(d) Any remaining funds available under this section after |
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the use of funds required under Subsection (c) shall be used to |
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provide financial assistance to eligible students [meet the
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coordinating board definition of financial need and] whose cost for |
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tuition and required fees is not met through other non-loan |
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financial assistance programs. |
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(e) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under |
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Subsection (d) [this section] may include grants, scholarships, |
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work-study programs, student loans, and student loan repayment |
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assistance. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.014(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) An institution of higher education that sets [is
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required by this subchapter to set] aside a portion of a student's |
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tuition payments to provide financial assistance for students |
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enrolled in the institution under this subchapter shall provide to |
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each student of the institution who pays tuition from which a |
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portion is [required to be] set aside for that purpose a notice |
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regarding the specific amount that is [required to be] set aside by |
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the institution. |
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SECTION 3. Section 56.465(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The governing board of each institution of higher |
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education shall cause to be set aside five percent of the amount of |
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the tuition charged to a resident undergraduate student at the |
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institution under Section 54.0513 in excess of $46 per semester |
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credit hour. The amount of a student's tuition set aside under this |
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subsection is not considered a part of the amount, if any, [required
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to be] set aside from that tuition under Section 56.011. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with designated tuition set aside by an institution of |
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higher education for the 2014 fall semester. Designated tuition |
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set aside for a semester or term before the 2014 fall semester is |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2014. |