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Texas Senate Bill SB18

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB18 Compare Versions

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11 By: Seliger, et al. S.B. No. 18
2- (In the Senate - Filed January 19, 2017; January 24, 2017,
3- read first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
4- February 22, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
5- Yeas 4, Nays 2, 1 present not voting; February 22, 2017, sent to
6- printer.)
7-Click here to see the committee vote
82
93
104 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
115 AN ACT
12- relating to eliminating provisions requiring public institutions
13- of higher education to set aside portions of designated tuition for
14- student financial assistance.
6+ relating to public institutions of higher education setting aside
7+ portions of designated tuition for student financial assistance.
158 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
16- SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
9+ SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
10+ amended by adding Sections 56.0093 and 56.0094 to read as follows:
11+ Sec. 56.0093. REPORT REGARDING DESIGNATED TUITION SET ASIDE
12+ FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) In this section,
13+ "coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
14+ Board.
15+ (b) This section applies only to the governing board of an
16+ institution of higher education that sets aside any portion of the
17+ tuition charged by the institution to a resident student under
18+ Section 54.0513 for the purpose of providing financial assistance
19+ for resident students enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or
20+ professional degree program at the institution.
21+ (c) Not later than August 31 of each year, the governing
22+ board of an institution to which this section applies shall submit
23+ to the coordinating board a written report regarding any tuition
24+ set aside by the institution as described by Subsection (b) in the
25+ preceding fall, spring, or summer term. The report must include:
26+ (1) the amount of tuition set aside by the institution
27+ as described by Subsection (b) for each applicable term;
28+ (2) the percentage of the total amount of tuition
29+ charged by the institution under Section 54.0513 for each
30+ applicable term that was set aside by the institution as described
31+ by Subsection (b); and
32+ (3) the types of student financial assistance provided
33+ using the funds set aside by the institution as described by
34+ Subsection (b).
35+ (d) The coordinating board shall disseminate to each public
36+ or accredited private high school in this state the information
37+ provided in Subsection (c) in a way designed to educate high school
38+ students and the parents of those students on available
39+ opportunities and required preparation with respect to
40+ institutions of higher education.
41+ (e) The coordinating board may adopt rules to administer
42+ this section.
43+ Sec. 56.0094. NOTICE TO STUDENTS REGARDING TUITION SET
44+ ASIDE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) An institution of higher
45+ education that sets aside a portion of a student's tuition payments
46+ to provide financial assistance for students enrolled in the
47+ institution shall provide to each student of the institution who
48+ pays tuition from which a portion is set aside for that purpose a
49+ notice regarding the specific amount that is set aside by the
50+ institution.
51+ (b) The institution shall provide the notice required by
52+ Subsection (a) to the student in a prominently printed statement
53+ that appears on or is included with:
54+ (1) the student's tuition bill or billing statement,
55+ if the institution provides the student with a printed bill or
56+ billing statement for the payment of the student's tuition; or
57+ (2) the student's tuition receipt, if the institution
58+ provides the student with a printed receipt evidencing the payment
59+ of the student's tuition.
60+ (c) If for any semester or other academic term the
61+ institution does not provide the student with a printed tuition
62+ bill, tuition billing statement, or tuition receipt, the
63+ institution shall include the notice required by Subsection (a) for
64+ that semester or other term in a statement prominently displayed in
65+ an e-mail sent to the student. The notice may be included in any
66+ other e-mail sent to the student in connection with the student's
67+ tuition charges for that semester or other term.
68+ (d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule
69+ shall prescribe minimum standards for the manner, form, and content
70+ of the notice required by this section.
71+ SECTION 2. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
72+ Subchapter U to read as follows:
73+ SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS STUDENTS FIRST GRANT PROGRAM
74+ Sec. 56.641. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
75+ (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
76+ Education Coordinating Board.
77+ (2) "General academic teaching institution" has the
78+ meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
79+ (3) "Eligible institution" means a general academic
80+ teaching institution that satisfies the requirements of Section
81+ 56.644.
82+ (4) "Program" means the Texas Students First Grant
83+ Program established under this subchapter.
84+ (5) "Tuition" includes:
85+ (A) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by
86+ Chapter 54; and
87+ (B) tuition charged by a general academic
88+ teaching institution under Section 54.0513 or another law
89+ authorizing an institution to establish tuition rates.
90+ Sec. 56.642. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Students
91+ First Grant Program is to provide financial assistance to students
92+ with financial need at general academic teaching institutions that
93+ have successfully controlled tuition costs charged to students at
94+ the institution.
95+ Sec. 56.643. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; PRIORITY FOR GRANT
96+ AWARDS. (a) The coordinating board shall:
97+ (1) administer the program;
98+ (2) adopt rules for determining the allocation of
99+ funds under the program among eligible institutions; and
100+ (3) adopt any other rules necessary to implement the
101+ program or this subchapter.
102+ (b) The coordinating board shall consult with the student
103+ financial aid officers of eligible institutions in developing rules
104+ adopted under Subsection (a).
105+ (c) In awarding grants under the program, priority shall be
106+ given to eligible students whose cost for tuition and required fees
107+ is not fully met through other non-loan financial assistance
108+ programs.
109+ Sec. 56.644. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS. (a) A general
110+ academic teaching institution is eligible to participate in the
111+ program for an academic year only if the total amount of tuition
112+ charged by the institution to each student for that academic year is
113+ at least five percent less than the total amount of tuition that the
114+ institution would have charged to a similarly situated student for
115+ the 2017-2018 academic year.
116+ (b) For purposes of this section, students are similarly
117+ situated if they share the same residency status, degree program,
118+ course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other
119+ circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student.
120+ Sec. 56.645. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. To be eligible for a
121+ grant under the program, a person must:
122+ (1) be a resident of this state as determined by
123+ coordinating board rules;
124+ (2) be enrolled as an undergraduate student at an
125+ eligible institution;
126+ (3) meet financial need requirements as defined by
127+ coordinating board rules;
128+ (4) comply with any additional requirement adopted by
129+ the coordinating board under this subchapter; and
130+ (5) be eligible for federal financial aid, except that
131+ a person is not required to meet any financial aid need requirement
132+ applicable to a particular federal financial aid program.
133+ Sec. 56.646. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under
134+ this subchapter may use the money only to pay the amount of tuition
135+ and required fees and the cost of required textbooks incurred by the
136+ student at an eligible institution.
137+ Sec. 56.647. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The coordinating board by
138+ rule shall prescribe the maximum amount of a grant awarded to a
139+ person under the program for a semester or other academic term.
140+ (b) The total amount of grants awarded under the program may
141+ not exceed the amount available for the program from
142+ appropriations, gifts, grants, or other funds.
143+ Sec. 56.648. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board may
144+ solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or
145+ private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
146+ (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
147+ of this subchapter.
148+ SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
17149 repealed.
18- SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply
150+ SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply
19151 beginning with tuition charged for the 2018 spring semester.
20152 Tuition charged for any semester or other academic term before the
21153 2018 spring semester is covered by the applicable law as it existed
22154 before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is
23155 continued in effect for that purpose.
24- SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
25- * * * * *
156+ SECTION 5. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
157+ shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter U, Chapter
158+ 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable
159+ after the effective date of this Act.
160+ SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.