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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 may |
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[shall] cause to be set aside not more [less] than 15 [20] percent |
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of any amount of tuition charged to a resident undergraduate |
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student under Section 54.0513 in excess of $46 per semester credit |
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hour. 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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(b) From the funds set aside by an institution under this |
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section, the institution shall first fund any tuition and fee |
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exemptions required under Section 54.341 for veterans and other |
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military personnel and their dependents and surviving family |
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members enrolled as undergraduate students at the institution. |
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(c) To be eligible for assistance from any remaining funds |
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available under this section after the use of those funds required |
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by Subsection (b), a student must establish financial need in |
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accordance with rules and procedures established by the Texas |
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Higher Education Coordinating Board. Priority shall be given to |
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students who meet the coordinating board definition of financial |
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need and whose cost for tuition and required fees is not met through |
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other non-loan financial assistance programs. |
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(d) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under |
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Subsection (c) [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 may |
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[shall] cause to be set aside not more [less] than 15 percent of any |
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amount of tuition charged to a resident student enrolled in a |
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graduate or professional degree program under Section 54.0513 in |
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excess of $46 per semester credit hour. The funds set aside under |
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this section by an institution shall be used to provide financial |
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assistance for resident students enrolled in graduate and |
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professional degree programs at the institution. |
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(b) From the funds set aside by an institution under this |
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section, the institution shall first fund any tuition and fee |
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exemptions required under Section 54.341 for veterans and other |
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military personnel and their dependents and surviving family |
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members enrolled in graduate and professional degree programs at |
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the institution. |
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(c) To be eligible for assistance from any remaining funds |
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available under this section after the use of those funds required |
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by Subsection (b), a student must establish financial need in |
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accordance with rules and procedures established by the Texas |
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|
Higher Education Coordinating Board. Priority shall be given to |
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students who meet the coordinating board definition of financial |
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need and whose cost for tuition and required fees is not met through |
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other non-loan financial assistance programs. |
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(d) [(c)] The financial assistance provided under |
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Subsection (c) [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 2016 fall semester. Designated tuition |
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set aside for a semester or term before the 2016 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, 2016. |