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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain duties of a public institution of higher |
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education in relation to the federal Public Service Loan |
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Forgiveness Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 51.944 and 51.9441 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.944. CERTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN FACULTY |
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MEMBERS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 61.003. |
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(b) For purposes of certifying the employment of an adjunct |
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or other part-time faculty member for the Public Service Loan |
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Forgiveness Program administered by the United States Department of |
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Education only, an institution of higher education shall: |
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(1) consider the faculty member to have worked at |
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least 3.35 hours for each credit hour or contact hour of instruction |
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the faculty member provides; and |
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(2) designate the faculty member as a full-time |
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employee if the faculty member works on average at least 30 hours |
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per week based on the number of hours the faculty member is |
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considered to have worked under Subdivision (1). |
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(c) Not later than the 60th day after the date an |
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institution of higher education receives a certification and |
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application form from an employee seeking employment certification |
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for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program |
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administered by the United States Department of Education, the |
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institution shall: |
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(1) determine whether the employee is considered a |
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full-time employee of the institution for purposes of the |
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employment verification and verify the information provided by the |
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employee on the certification and application form; and |
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(2) if the employee is considered a full-time employee |
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of the institution for purposes of the employment verification, |
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certify the employee's employment. |
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(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt |
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rules as necessary to administer this section. |
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Sec. 51.9441. NOTICE TO INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION |
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EMPLOYEES OF PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 61.003. |
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(b) Not later than October 1 of each year, an institution of |
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higher education shall provide written notice to each institution |
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employee of the ability of eligible employees to participate in the |
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program administered by the United |
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States Department of Education. An institution of higher education |
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may deliver a written notice under this section to an employee by |
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hand delivery, mail, e-mail, or other form of electronic |
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communication commonly used by the institution to communicate with |
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employees. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |