| 1 | 1 | | 81R1263 JSA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio III H.B. No. 439 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the eligibility of students who participate in certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | internship programs for tuition rebates offered by general academic |
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| 9 | 9 | | teaching institutions. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 54.0065(a), Education Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) A qualified student is eligible for a rebate of a |
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| 14 | 14 | | portion of the undergraduate tuition the student has paid if the |
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| 15 | 15 | | student: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) is awarded a baccalaureate degree from a general |
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| 17 | 17 | | academic teaching institution within the period prescribed by |
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| 18 | 18 | | Section 56.462(1)(A) or (B), as applicable, to qualify for |
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| 19 | 19 | | forgiveness of a Texas B-On-time loan; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) has attempted no more than three hours in excess of |
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| 21 | 21 | | the minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete |
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| 22 | 22 | | the degree program: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (A) including: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (i) transfer credits; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (ii) course credit earned exclusively by |
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| 26 | 26 | | examination, except that, for purposes of this subsection, only the |
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| 27 | 27 | | number of semester credit hours earned exclusively by examination |
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| 28 | 28 | | in excess of nine semester credit hours is treated as hours |
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| 29 | 29 | | attempted; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (B) excluding: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (i) course credit that is earned to satisfy |
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| 32 | 32 | | requirements for a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program |
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| 33 | 33 | | but that is not required to complete the degree program; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (ii) course credit earned through |
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| 35 | 35 | | participation in an optional internship program sponsored or |
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| 36 | 36 | | approved by an institution of higher education, if the student |
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| 37 | 37 | | earned the credit while enrolled at that institution. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 39 | 39 | | to a student who is awarded a baccalaureate degree from a general |
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| 40 | 40 | | academic teaching institution on or after the effective date of |
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| 41 | 41 | | this Act. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 43 | 43 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 44 | 44 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 46 | 46 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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