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