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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to personal financial literacy courses for high school |
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students in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.0021, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) Each school district and each open-enrollment charter |
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school that offers a high school program shall provide a [an
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elective] course in personal financial literacy that meets the |
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requirements for [a one-half elective] credit under Section 28.025, |
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using materials approved by the State Board of Education. The |
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course may be offered as a distinct course in personal financial |
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literacy or as an elective course or existing course that includes |
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instruction in personal financial literacy sufficient to meet the |
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requirements for one-half credit under Section 28.025(b-1)(4). The |
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instruction in personal financial literacy must include |
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instruction on: |
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(1) completing the application for federal student aid |
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provided by the United States Department of Education; |
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(2) the financial consequences of failing to make |
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timely student loan payments; |
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(3) the effect of student loan debt on a person's |
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finances; and |
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(4) the circumstances in which student loans are |
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dischargeable in bankruptcy. |
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(c) In fulfilling the requirement to provide financial |
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literacy instruction under this section, a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may use an existing state, federal, |
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private, or nonprofit program that provides students without charge |
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the instruction described under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The State Board of Education by rule shall require |
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that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school |
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program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students |
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successfully complete: |
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(1) four credits in English language arts under |
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Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one |
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credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in |
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an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(2) three credits in mathematics under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in |
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geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course |
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authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(3) three credits in science under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one |
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credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(4) three credits in social studies under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at |
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least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in |
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economics or personal financial literacy, and one credit in world |
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geography or world history; |
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(5) except as provided under Subsections (b-12), |
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(b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language |
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other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A); |
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(6) five elective credits; |
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(7) one credit in fine arts under Section |
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28.002(a)(2)(D); and |
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(8) except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one |
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credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C). |
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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, 2019. |