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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Returning Adult Student |
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Grant Program for certain students enrolled in baccalaureate degree |
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programs at certain postsecondary educational institutions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter U to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS RETURNING ADULT STUDENT GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 56.601. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Eligible institution" means: |
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(A) a general academic teaching institution; or |
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(B) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally |
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accredited college or university operating in accordance with a |
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memorandum of understanding with this state under an executive |
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order issued by the governor and offering competency-based, |
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exclusively online baccalaureate degree programs. |
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(3) "Expected family contribution" means the amount of |
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discretionary income that should be available to a student from the |
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resources of the student and of the student's family, as determined |
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by the coordinating board following the methodology prescribed by |
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the United States Department of Education for the purpose of |
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determining a student's eligibility for need-based student |
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financial assistance. |
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(4) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(5) "Program" means the Texas Returning Adult Student |
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Grant Program established under this subchapter. |
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(6) "Returning adult student" means a student who: |
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(A) is over the age of 25; |
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(B) has earned college credit but has not |
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obtained a postsecondary degree; and |
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(C) is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program |
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at an eligible institution. |
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Sec. 56.602. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Returning |
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Adult Student Grant Program is to provide financial assistance to |
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eligible returning adult students enrolling in baccalaureate |
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degree programs at eligible institutions. |
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Sec. 56.603. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; PRIORITY FOR |
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FINANCIAL NEED. (a) The coordinating board shall: |
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(1) administer the program; |
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(2) using the negotiated rulemaking procedures under |
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Chapter 2008, Government Code, adopt rules for determining the |
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allocation of funds under the program among eligible institutions; |
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and |
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(3) adopt any other rules necessary to implement the |
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program or this subchapter. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall consult with the student |
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financial aid officers of eligible institutions in developing the |
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rules adopted under Subsection (a). |
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(c) The total amount of grants awarded under the program may |
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not exceed the amount available for the program from |
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appropriations, gifts, grants, or other funds. |
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(d) In determining who should receive a grant under the |
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program, the coordinating board and the eligible institutions shall |
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give highest priority to awarding grants to students who |
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demonstrate the greatest unmet financial need. |
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Sec. 56.604. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) To be |
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eligible initially for a grant under the program, a person must: |
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(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
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coordinating board rules; |
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(2) meet financial need requirements as defined by |
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coordinating board rules, including a requirement that the person's |
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expected family contribution for the academic year does not exceed |
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the maximum expected family contribution established for this |
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purpose by the coordinating board; |
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(3) be a returning adult student; |
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(4) not be receiving a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M, |
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a tuition equalization grant under Subchapter F, Chapter 61, or any |
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other state-funded student financial assistance for the same |
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academic period; and |
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(5) comply with any additional requirement adopted by |
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the coordinating board under this subchapter. |
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(b) A person may not receive a grant under the program for |
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more than the greater of: |
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(1) 135 semester credit hours or the equivalent; or |
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(2) 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent in |
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excess of the number of semester credit hours required for the |
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degree program in which the person is enrolled. |
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Sec. 56.605. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC |
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PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS. (a) After initially qualifying for a |
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grant under the program, a person may continue to receive a grant |
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under the program during each semester or term in which the person |
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is enrolled at an eligible institution only if the person: |
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(1) meets the criteria for initial eligibility under |
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Section 56.604(a); |
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(2) makes satisfactory academic progress toward a |
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baccalaureate degree; and |
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(3) complies with any additional requirement adopted |
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by the coordinating board. |
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(b) If a person fails to meet any of the requirements of |
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Subsection (a) after the completion of any semester or term, the |
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person may not receive a grant under the program during the next |
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semester or term in which the person enrolls. Unless the person is |
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no longer eligible for a grant under Section 56.604(b), a person |
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may become eligible to receive a grant under the program in a |
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subsequent semester or term if the person: |
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(1) completes at least 15 semester credit hours or an |
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equivalent number of competency units or credits in a semester or |
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term during which the student is not eligible for a grant; and |
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(2) meets all the requirements of Subsection (a). |
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(c) For the purpose of this section, a person makes |
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satisfactory academic progress toward a baccalaureate degree only |
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if the person completes at least 15 semester credit hours or an |
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equivalent number of competency units or credits in each semester |
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or term in which the person is enrolled. |
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(d) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a |
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person who is otherwise eligible to receive a grant under the |
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program to receive a grant if the student's completion rate falls |
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below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of this |
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section in the event of a hardship or for other good cause shown, |
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including: |
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(1) a showing of a severe illness or other |
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debilitating condition that may affect the person's academic |
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performance; or |
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(2) a showing that the person is responsible for the |
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care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the person's |
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provision of care may affect the person's academic performance. |
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Sec. 56.606. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under |
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this subchapter may use the money only to pay the amount of tuition |
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and required fees and the cost of required textbooks incurred by the |
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student at an eligible institution. The institution may disburse |
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all or part of the proceeds of a grant under the program to an |
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eligible person only if the tuition and required fees incurred by |
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the person at the institution have been paid. |
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Sec. 56.607. GRANT AMOUNT. The amount of a grant awarded to |
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a person under the program for a semester or other academic term is |
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an amount not to exceed the lesser of: |
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(1) the difference between: |
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(A) the amount of tuition and required fees |
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incurred by the student at an eligible institution for that |
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semester or term plus a textbook stipend in an amount determined by |
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the coordinating board; and |
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(B) the amount of the Pell Grant for which the |
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student is eligible, if any; or |
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(2) the student's unmet financial need for that |
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semester or term. |
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Sec. 56.608. GRANT NOT TO AFFECT ADMISSION. An eligible |
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institution may not deny admission to or enrollment in the |
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institution based on a person's eligibility to receive a grant |
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under the program or a person's receipt of a grant under the |
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program. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter U, Chapter 56, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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the effective date of this Act. For that purpose, the coordinating |
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board may adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for |
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emergency rules. |
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(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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begin allocating funds to eligible institutions under Subchapter U, |
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Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, for the first |
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academic year for which money is appropriated for that purpose, |
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except that the coordinating board may not allocate funds under |
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that subchapter for an academic year before the 2018-2019 academic |
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year. |
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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, 2017. |