Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4487 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Rosenthal, Guillen H.B. No. 4487
	1	+	87R1638 KJE-D
	2	+	By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 4487
2	3
3	4
4	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	6		AN ACT
6	7		relating to measures to facilitate the successful completion of
7	8		degree and certificate programs by certain adult learners at public
8	9		institutions of higher education.
9	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	11		SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
11	12		Subchapter R to read as follows:
12	13		SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS RECOVERY ACT
13	14		Sec. 61.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
14	15		(1) "Adult learner" means a person who:
15	16		(A) is at least 25 years of age but not older than
16	17		34 years of age; and
17	18		(B) within the preceding 48 months, has achieved
18	19		at least 75 percent completion of a baccalaureate or associate
19	20		degree or certificate program.
20	21		(2) "Texas WORKS internship program" means the Texas
21	22		Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS)
22	23		Internship Program established under Subchapter E-1, Chapter 56.
23	24		Sec. 61.802. TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
24	25		(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
25	26		provide to each adult learner enrolled in a baccalaureate or
26	27		associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
27	28		education a grant for each semester or term in the amount equal to
28	29		25 percent of the average statewide amount of tuition and required
29	30		fees that a resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate
30	31		or associate degree or certificate program, as applicable, would be
31	32		charged for that semester or term at the type of institution of
32	33		higher education at which the adult learner is enrolled.
33	34		(b) An adult learner receiving a grant under this section
34	35		may use the money only to pay the cost of tuition or required fees
35	36		for the baccalaureate or associate degree or certificate program in
36	37		which the adult learner is enrolled at an institution of higher
37	38		education.
38	39		Sec. 61.803. INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR ADULT LEARNERS. (a) For
39	40		the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, the board
40	41		shall distribute incentive funding to each institution of higher
41	42		education based on the number of adult leaners enrolled at the
42	43		institution who, during the preceding state fiscal biennium:
43	44		(1) timely completed:
44	45		(A) a baccalaureate or associate degree program
45	46		in accordance with the adult learner's degree plan; or
46	47		(B) a certificate program, as established by
47	48		board rule; or
48	49		(2) received a baccalaureate or associate degree or
49	50		certificate in a target field, as established by board rule.
50	51		(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of
51	52		incentive funding distributed per qualifying adult learner to an
52	53		institution of higher education under this section for a state
53	54		fiscal biennium may not be less than the amount of funding provided
54	55		per student for that biennium for achievement of an equivalent
55	56		student success measure under Section 61.0593(f), Education Code.
56	57		Sec. 61.804. FINAL SEMESTER INTERNSHIPS FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
57	58		(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
58	59		collaborate with employers who participate in the Texas WORKS
59	60		internship program to ensure that:
60	61		(1) employers give priority in employment under that
61	62		program to adult learners in the final semester of a baccalaureate
62	63		or associate degree or certificate program at an institution of
63	64		higher education; and
64	65		(2) each adult learner employed through that program
65	66		during the adult learner's final semester of a baccalaureate or
66	67		associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
67	68		education receives an additional $2,500 stipend as part of the
68	69		adult learner's wages under that program.
69	70		(b) The board shall certify internships provided through
70	71		the Texas WORKS internship program through which an adult learner
71	72		may earn course credit toward the adult learner's baccalaureate or
72	73		associate degree or certificate program, as applicable.
73	74		Sec. 61.805. GRAD TX PROGRAM. The board shall establish the
74	75		Grad TX program in collaboration with institutions of higher
75	76		education to support the reskilling, upskilling, and high-value
76	77		degree or certificate program completion of adult learners. The
77	78		program may include:
78	79		(1) academic and career advising;
79	80		(2) assistance with available student financial aid
80	81		options; and
81	82		(3) flexible degree or certificate programs designed
82	83		for adult learners.
83	84		Sec. 61.806. LIMITATION. (a) The total amount spent under
84	85		this subchapter may not exceed $50 million.
85	86		(b) If the total cost of providing grants, incentive
86	87		funding, or stipends to all eligible adult learners or institutions
87	88		of higher education under this subchapter would exceed the amount
88	89		that may be spent under Subsection (a), the board shall reduce the
89	90		amount of each grant, incentive funding award, and stipend as
90	91		necessary to comply with that subsection.
91		-	Sec. 61.807. FEDERAL FUNDING. (a) The board may only use
92		-	federal funding available for purposes of job training and
93		-	reskilling, to the extent authorized by federal law, to implement
94		-	this subchapter.
95		-	(b) The board may accept federal grants for purposes of this
96		-	subchapter.
	92	+	Sec. 61.807. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
	93	+	accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private
	94	+	source for purposes of this subchapter.
97	95		Sec. 61.808. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each
98	96		year, the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant
99	97		governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report
100	98		on the status and effectiveness of the measures established under
101	99		this subchapter.
102	100		Sec. 61.809. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary
103	101		to implement this subchapter. In adopting rules, the board shall
104	102		consult with institutions of higher education, the Texas Workforce
105	103		Commission, members of the business community, and other relevant
106	104		stakeholders.
107	105		Sec. 61.810. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September
108	106		1, 2025.
109	107		SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2022, the Texas Higher
110	108		Education Coordinating Board shall submit the board's initial
111	109		report required under Section 61.808, Education Code, as added by
112	110		this Act.
113	111		SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is
114	112		required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
115	113		legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
116	114		the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
117	115		purpose, the coordinating board may, but is not required to,
118	116		implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
119	117		available for that purpose.
120	118		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
121	119		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
122	120		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
123	121		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
124	122		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.