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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student financial assistance for certain students of |
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WGU Texas or similar online nonprofit colleges or universities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 56.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.009. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED AT |
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WGU TEXAS OR SIMILAR ONLINE COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES. (a) In this |
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section, "general academic teaching institution" and "private or |
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independent institution of higher education" have the meanings |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule |
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shall: |
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(1) provide student financial assistance grants |
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during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years for students |
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enrolled: |
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(A) at WGU Texas, or a similar nonprofit, |
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tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university operating |
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in accordance with a memorandum of understanding with this state |
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pursuant to an executive order issued by the governor and offering |
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competency-based, exclusively online or other distance education; |
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and |
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(B) in a degree program approved by the |
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coordinating board for purposes of this section; and |
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(2) in consultation with representatives of the |
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coordinating board's financial aid advisory committee, |
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representatives of financial aid offices of institutions of higher |
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education and private or independent institutions of higher |
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education offering online or other distance education courses and |
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programs similar to those offered by nonprofit colleges or |
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universities described by Subdivision (1)(A), and representatives |
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of financial aid offices of nonprofit colleges or universities |
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described by Subdivision (1)(A): |
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(A) conduct a study regarding, and prepare |
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proposed draft legislation for, the creation of a state-funded |
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student financial assistance program: |
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(i) that is available only to students of |
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nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited universities or |
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colleges domiciled in this state that offer competency-based, |
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exclusively online or other distance education; and |
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(ii) under which the highest priority is |
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given to awarding grants to those eligible students who demonstrate |
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the greatest financial need; and |
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(B) not later than October 1, 2014, submit to |
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each standing committee of the legislature with primary |
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jurisdiction of higher education a report of the results of the |
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study conducted under Paragraph (A), together with the proposed |
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draft legislation prepared under that paragraph. |
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(c) The rules adopted under Subsection (b)(1) must |
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prescribe eligibility requirements for an award of a grant under |
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that subdivision, including: |
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(1) a requirement that a student: |
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(A) be a resident of this state; and |
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(B) demonstrate financial need; and |
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(2) any additional eligibility requirements, such as |
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academic achievement, satisfactory academic progress, course load, |
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or course completion requirements, that the coordinating board |
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considers reasonable and appropriate for students enrolled in |
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online or other distance education programs. |
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(d) The amount of a grant awarded to a student under |
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Subsection (b)(1) for an academic year may not exceed the lesser of: |
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(1) the amount prescribed under Section 61.227(c) as |
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the maximum annual amount of a tuition equalization grant paid to a |
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student; or |
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(2) the amount of the difference between: |
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(A) the tuition charged to the student by the |
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college or university in which the student is enrolled for that |
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academic year; and |
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(B) the average tuition charged to a similarly |
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situated student by a general academic teaching institution for |
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that academic year, as determined by the coordinating board. |
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(e) This section expires January 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board shall adopt any rules necessary under Section 56.009, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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this Act takes effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may |
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adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency |
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rules. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall begin awarding grants in |
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accordance with Section 56.009(b)(1), Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. |
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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, 2013. |