|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to public institutions of higher education setting aside |
|
portions of designated tuition for student financial assistance. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Sections 56.0093 and 56.0094 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 56.0093. REPORT REGARDING DESIGNATED TUITION SET ASIDE |
|
FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) In this section, |
|
"coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
|
Board. |
|
(b) This section applies only to the governing board of an |
|
institution of higher education that sets aside any portion of the |
|
tuition charged by the institution to a resident student under |
|
Section 54.0513 for the purpose of providing financial assistance |
|
for resident students enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or |
|
professional degree program at the institution. |
|
(c) Not later than August 31 of each year, the governing |
|
board of an institution to which this section applies shall submit |
|
to the coordinating board a written report regarding any tuition |
|
set aside by the institution as described by Subsection (b) in the |
|
preceding fall, spring, or summer term. The report must include: |
|
(1) the amount of tuition set aside by the institution |
|
as described by Subsection (b) for each applicable term; |
|
(2) the percentage of the total amount of tuition |
|
charged by the institution under Section 54.0513 for each |
|
applicable term that was set aside by the institution as described |
|
by Subsection (b); and |
|
(3) the types of student financial assistance provided |
|
using the funds set aside by the institution as described by |
|
Subsection (b). |
|
(d) The coordinating board shall disseminate to each public |
|
or accredited private high school in this state the information |
|
provided in Subsection (c) in a way designed to educate high school |
|
students and the parents of those students on available |
|
opportunities and required preparation with respect to |
|
institutions of higher education. |
|
(e) The coordinating board may adopt rules to administer |
|
this section. |
|
Sec. 56.0094. NOTICE TO STUDENTS REGARDING TUITION SET |
|
ASIDE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) An institution of higher |
|
education that sets aside a portion of a student's tuition payments |
|
to provide financial assistance for students enrolled in the |
|
institution shall provide to each student of the institution who |
|
pays tuition from which a portion is set aside for that purpose a |
|
notice regarding the specific amount that is set aside by the |
|
institution. |
|
(b) The institution shall provide the notice required by |
|
Subsection (a) to the student in a prominently printed statement |
|
that appears on or is included with: |
|
(1) the student's tuition bill or billing statement, |
|
if the institution provides the student with a printed bill or |
|
billing statement for the payment of the student's tuition; or |
|
(2) the student's tuition receipt, if the institution |
|
provides the student with a printed receipt evidencing the payment |
|
of the student's tuition. |
|
(c) If for any semester or other academic term the |
|
institution does not provide the student with a printed tuition |
|
bill, tuition billing statement, or tuition receipt, the |
|
institution shall include the notice required by Subsection (a) for |
|
that semester or other term in a statement prominently displayed in |
|
an e-mail sent to the student. The notice may be included in any |
|
other e-mail sent to the student in connection with the student's |
|
tuition charges for that semester or other term. |
|
(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule |
|
shall prescribe minimum standards for the manner, form, and content |
|
of the notice required by this section. |
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding |
|
Subchapter U to read as follows: |
|
SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS STUDENTS FIRST GRANT PROGRAM |
|
Sec. 56.641. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
|
Education Coordinating Board. |
|
(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
|
meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
|
(3) "Eligible institution" means a general academic |
|
teaching institution that satisfies the requirements of Section |
|
56.644. |
|
(4) "Program" means the Texas Students First Grant |
|
Program established under this subchapter. |
|
(5) "Tuition" includes: |
|
(A) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by |
|
Chapter 54; and |
|
(B) tuition charged by a general academic |
|
teaching institution under Section 54.0513 or another law |
|
authorizing an institution to establish tuition rates. |
|
Sec. 56.642. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Students |
|
First Grant Program is to provide financial assistance to students |
|
with financial need at general academic teaching institutions that |
|
have successfully controlled tuition costs charged to students at |
|
the institution. |
|
Sec. 56.643. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; PRIORITY FOR GRANT |
|
AWARDS. (a) The coordinating board shall: |
|
(1) administer the program; |
|
(2) adopt rules for determining the allocation of |
|
funds under the program among eligible institutions; and |
|
(3) adopt any other rules necessary to implement the |
|
program or this subchapter. |
|
(b) The coordinating board shall consult with the student |
|
financial aid officers of eligible institutions in developing rules |
|
adopted under Subsection (a). |
|
(c) In awarding grants under the program, priority shall be |
|
given to eligible students whose cost for tuition and required fees |
|
is not fully met through other non-loan financial assistance |
|
programs. |
|
Sec. 56.644. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS. (a) A general |
|
academic teaching institution is eligible to participate in the |
|
program for an academic year only if the total amount of tuition |
|
charged by the institution to each student for that academic year is |
|
at least five percent less than the total amount of tuition that the |
|
institution would have charged to a similarly situated student for |
|
the 2017-2018 academic year. |
|
(b) For purposes of this section, students are similarly |
|
situated if they share the same residency status, degree program, |
|
course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other |
|
circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student. |
|
Sec. 56.645. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. To be eligible for a |
|
grant under the program, a person must: |
|
(1) be a resident of this state as determined by |
|
coordinating board rules; |
|
(2) be enrolled as an undergraduate student at an |
|
eligible institution; |
|
(3) meet financial need requirements as defined by |
|
coordinating board rules; |
|
(4) comply with any additional requirement adopted by |
|
the coordinating board under this subchapter; and |
|
(5) be eligible for federal financial aid, except that |
|
a person is not required to meet any financial aid need requirement |
|
applicable to a particular federal financial aid program. |
|
Sec. 56.646. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under |
|
this subchapter may use the money only to pay the amount of tuition |
|
and required fees and the cost of required textbooks incurred by the |
|
student at an eligible institution. |
|
Sec. 56.647. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The coordinating board by |
|
rule shall prescribe the maximum amount of a grant awarded to a |
|
person under the program for a semester or other academic term. |
|
(b) The total amount of grants awarded under the program may |
|
not exceed the amount available for the program from |
|
appropriations, gifts, grants, or other funds. |
|
Sec. 56.648. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board may |
|
solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or |
|
private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
|
(b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes |
|
of this subchapter. |
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
|
repealed. |
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
|
beginning with tuition charged for the 2018 spring semester. |
|
Tuition charged for any semester or other academic term before the |
|
2018 spring semester is covered by the applicable law as it existed |
|
before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is |
|
continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 5. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
|
shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter U, Chapter |
|
56, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable |
|
after the effective date of this Act. |
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |