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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the application of certain occupation-related |
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postsecondary educational financial aid and student loan repayment |
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programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.605(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board may provide repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter for the repayment of any student loan, including a loan |
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for undergraduate education, received by an eligible person through |
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any lender for education at: |
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(1) an institution of higher education; |
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(2) [,] a private or independent institution of higher |
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education; |
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(3) [, or] a public or private out-of-state |
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institution of higher education accredited by a recognized |
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accrediting agency; or |
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(4) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited |
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college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of |
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understanding with this state under an executive order issued by |
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the governor[, including loans for undergraduate education,
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received by an eligible person through any lender]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.608(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education, each college or university described by Section |
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61.605(a)(4), and [to] any appropriate state agency and |
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professional association copies of the rules adopted under this |
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section and other pertinent information relating to this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.9621, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.9621. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, |
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"professional nursing program" means an educational program |
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preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses |
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offered by: |
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(1) a public or private institution of higher |
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education; or |
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(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited |
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college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of |
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understanding with this state under an executive order issued by |
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the governor [for preparing students for initial licensure as
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registered nurses]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.96232(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board by rule shall establish a process under which |
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a public or private institution of higher education or an |
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institution described by Section 61.9621(2) that offers a |
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professional nursing program may apply for a grant under this |
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subchapter and the commissioner of higher education, contingent on |
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appropriations of money for the grants, selects one or more |
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applicants to receive a grant based on criteria established by |
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board rule. The criteria must include the institution's agreement |
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that the institution's professional nursing program will enroll |
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additional students or graduate additional students prepared for |
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initial licensure as registered nurses. |
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SECTION 5. Section 61.9751(2), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(2) "Nursing education program" means: |
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(A) an undergraduate professional nursing |
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program or a graduate professional nursing program as those terms |
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are defined by Section 54.355; and |
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(B) a comparable nursing program offered by a |
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nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university |
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operating in accordance with a memorandum of understanding with |
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this state under an executive order issued by the governor. |
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SECTION 6. Section 61.9824(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board may provide repayment assistance for the |
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repayment of any student loan received by an eligible person |
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through any lender that is for education, including undergraduate |
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education, at: |
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(1) a public or private institution of higher |
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education; or |
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(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited |
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college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of |
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understanding with this state under an executive order issued by |
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the governor [any public or private institution of higher
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education, including a loan for undergraduate education, received
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by an eligible person through any lender]. |
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SECTION 7. Section 61.9835(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board may provide repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter for the repayment of any student loan received by an |
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eligible person through an eligible lender that[:
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[(1)] is for education at: |
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(1) a public or private institution of higher |
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education; or [and] |
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(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited |
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college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of |
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understanding with this state under an executive order issued by |
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the governor [is received by an eligible person through an eligible
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lender]. |
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SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt any rules necessary to administer the changes in law made by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 9. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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may not award grants under the professional nursing shortage |
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reduction program as provided by the changes in law made by this Act |
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to Sections 61.9621 and 61.96232, Education Code, before June 1, |
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2021. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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* * * * * |