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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing a public institution of higher education to |
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include certain textbook costs in the institution's charge for |
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tuition or required fees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.019 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.019. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN TEXTBOOK COSTS IN TUITION |
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OR FEES CHARGE. (a) In this section, "coordinating board" means |
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the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education may establish in accordance with this section and 34 |
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C.F.R. Section 668.164(c)(2)(i) a textbook affordability program |
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under which the institution may include the cost of any textbooks or |
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other materials required for a course in the tuition or required |
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fees charged by the institution for the course. |
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(c) A textbook affordability program established under this |
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section must: |
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(1) permit a student to opt out of the program, |
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including having the cost of textbooks or materials included in the |
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tuition or required fees charged to the student; and |
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(2) provide a student a means of obtaining textbooks |
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or materials not later than the first day of the semester or other |
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term in which the textbooks or materials are required. |
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(d) For each course included in a textbook affordability |
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program established by an institution of higher education under |
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this section, the institution shall include in the course catalog |
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under Section 54.0051: |
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(1) the cost of the textbooks or other materials |
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included in the tuition or required fees charged for the course |
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under the program; and |
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(2) a description of the opt-out provision under |
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Subsection (c). |
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(e) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the coordinating board shall submit to the standing legislative |
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committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education a report |
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on the aggregate savings to students resulting from textbook |
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affordability programs established under this section. |
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(f) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for the |
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administration of a textbook affordability program established |
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under this section, including rules that ensure that each program |
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complies with state and federal law regarding confidentiality of |
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student educational information, including the Family Educational |
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Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with the 2019 fall semester. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall submit the initial report |
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required under Section 54.019, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2019. |