By: Creighton S.B. No. 1758
(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2019; March 14, 2019, read
first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
April 26, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 26, 2019,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1758 By: Creighton
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the application of certain occupation-related
postsecondary educational financial aid and student loan repayment
programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.605(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The board may provide repayment assistance under this
subchapter for the repayment of any student loan, including a loan
for undergraduate education, received by an eligible person through
any lender for education at:
(1) an institution of higher education;
(2) [,] a private or independent institution of higher
education;
(3) [, or] a public or private out-of-state
institution of higher education accredited by a recognized
accrediting agency; or
(4) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited
college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding with this state under an executive order issued by
the governor[, including loans for undergraduate education,
received by an eligible person through any lender].
SECTION 2. Section 61.608(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher
education, [or] private or independent institution of higher
education, or college or university described by Section
61.605(a)(4) and to any appropriate state agency and professional
association copies of the rules adopted under this section and
other pertinent information relating to this subchapter.
SECTION 3. Section 61.9621, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 61.9621. DEFINITION. In this subchapter,
"professional nursing program" means an educational program
preparing students for initial licensure as registered nurses
offered by:
(1) a public or private institution of higher
education; or
(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited
college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding with this state under an executive order issued by
the governor [for preparing students for initial licensure as
registered nurses].
SECTION 4. Section 61.96232(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The board by rule shall establish a process under which
a public or private institution of higher education or an
institution described by Section 61.9621(2) that offers a
professional nursing program may apply for a grant under this
subchapter and the commissioner of higher education, contingent on
appropriations of money for the grants, selects one or more
applicants to receive a grant based on criteria established by
board rule. The criteria must include the institution's agreement
that the institution's professional nursing program will enroll
additional students or graduate additional students prepared for
initial licensure as registered nurses.
SECTION 5. Section 61.9751(2), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(2) "Nursing education program" means:
(A) an undergraduate professional nursing
program or a graduate professional nursing program as those terms
are defined by Section 54.355; and
(B) a comparable nursing program offered by a
nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university
operating in accordance with a memorandum of understanding with
this state under an executive order issued by the governor.
SECTION 6. Section 61.9824(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The board may provide repayment assistance for the
repayment of any student loan received by an eligible person
through any lender that is for education, including undergraduate
education, at:
(1) a public or private institution of higher
education; or
(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited
college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding with this state under an executive order issued by
the governor [any public or private institution of higher
education, including a loan for undergraduate education, received
by an eligible person through any lender].
SECTION 7. Section 61.9835(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The board may provide repayment assistance under this
subchapter for the repayment of any student loan received by an
eligible person through an eligible lender that[:
[(1)] is for education at:
(1) a public or private institution of higher
education; or [and]
(2) a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited
college or university operating in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding with this state under an executive order issued by
the governor [is received by an eligible person through an eligible
lender].
SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt any rules necessary to administer the changes in law made by
this Act.
SECTION 9. 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, 2019.
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