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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a pilot project to offer student loans for |
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certain courses offered by a public junior college. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 130, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 130.0037 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 130.0037. PILOT PROJECT: STUDENT LOANS FOR CONTINUING |
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EDUCATION COURSES. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board shall establish a pilot project to measure the impact of |
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providing student loans for continuing education courses not |
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designed to lead to a degree, license, or certification in order to |
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promote greater access to higher education and more efficient use |
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of junior college facilities and resources. The coordinating board |
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shall select the Tarrant County Junior College District to |
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participate in the pilot project. |
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(b) The governing board of the Tarrant County Junior College |
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District may establish and offer, from local funds available to the |
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district, a student loan program for students pursuing a continuing |
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education program not designed to lead to a degree, license, or |
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certification. |
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(c) A student loan offered under this section may not be |
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used to pay for courses subject to a performance funding formula |
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established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under |
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Section 51.3062(m). |
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(d) Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall report its findings on the |
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effectiveness of the student loan program and any recommendation |
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regarding extending the program to other junior college districts |
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to the committees of each house of the legislature with |
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jurisdiction over higher education. This subsection expires |
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September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |