Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4491 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R1638 KJE-D
2	2	By: Zwiener H.B. No. 4491
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to measures to facilitate the successful completion of
8	8	degree and certificate programs by certain adult learners at public
9	9	institutions of higher education.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
12	12	Subchapter R to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS RECOVERY ACT
14	14	Sec. 61.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
15	15	(1) "Adult learner" means a person who:
16	16	(A) is at least 25 years of age but not older than
17	17	34 years of age; and
18	18	(B) within the preceding 48 months, has achieved
19	19	at least 75 percent completion of a baccalaureate or associate
20	20	degree or certificate program.
21	21	(2) "Texas WORKS internship program" means the Texas
22	22	Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS)
23	23	Internship Program established under Subchapter E-1, Chapter 56.
24	24	Sec. 61.802. TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
25	25	(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
26	26	provide to each adult learner enrolled in a baccalaureate or
27	27	associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
28	28	education a grant for each semester or term in the amount equal to
29	29	25 percent of the average statewide amount of tuition and required
30	30	fees that a resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate
31	31	or associate degree or certificate program, as applicable, would be
32	32	charged for that semester or term at the type of institution of
33	33	higher education at which the adult learner is enrolled.
34	34	(b) An adult learner receiving a grant under this section
35	35	may use the money only to pay the cost of tuition or required fees
36	36	for the baccalaureate or associate degree or certificate program in
37	37	which the adult learner is enrolled at an institution of higher
38	38	education.
39	39	Sec. 61.803. INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR ADULT LEARNERS. (a) For
40	40	the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, the board
41	41	shall distribute incentive funding to each institution of higher
42	42	education based on the number of adult leaners enrolled at the
43	43	institution who, during the preceding state fiscal biennium:
44	44	(1) timely completed:
45	45	(A) a baccalaureate or associate degree program
46	46	in accordance with the adult learner's degree plan; or
47	47	(B) a certificate program, as established by
48	48	board rule; or
49	49	(2) received a baccalaureate or associate degree or
50	50	certificate in a target field, as established by board rule.
51	51	(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of
52	52	incentive funding distributed per qualifying adult learner to an
53	53	institution of higher education under this section for a state
54	54	fiscal biennium may not be less than the amount of funding provided
55	55	per student for that biennium for achievement of an equivalent
56	56	student success measure under Section 61.0593(f), Education Code.
57	57	Sec. 61.804. FINAL SEMESTER INTERNSHIPS FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
58	58	(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
59	59	collaborate with employers who participate in the Texas WORKS
60	60	internship program to ensure that:
61	61	(1) employers give priority in employment under that
62	62	program to adult learners in the final semester of a baccalaureate
63	63	or associate degree or certificate program at an institution of
64	64	higher education; and
65	65	(2) each adult learner employed through that program
66	66	during the adult learner's final semester of a baccalaureate or
67	67	associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
68	68	education receives an additional $2,500 stipend as part of the
69	69	adult learner's wages under that program.
70	70	(b) The board shall certify internships provided through
71	71	the Texas WORKS internship program through which an adult learner
72	72	may earn course credit toward the adult learner's baccalaureate or
73	73	associate degree or certificate program, as applicable.
74	74	Sec. 61.805. GRAD TX PROGRAM. The board shall establish the
75	75	Grad TX program in collaboration with institutions of higher
76	76	education to support the reskilling, upskilling, and high-value
77	77	degree or certificate program completion of adult learners. The
78	78	program may include:
79	79	(1) academic and career advising;
80	80	(2) assistance with available student financial aid
81	81	options; and
82	82	(3) flexible degree or certificate programs designed
83	83	for adult learners.
84	84	Sec. 61.806. LIMITATION. (a) The total amount spent under
85	85	this subchapter may not exceed $50 million.
86	86	(b) If the total cost of providing grants, incentive
87	87	funding, or stipends to all eligible adult learners or institutions
88	88	of higher education under this subchapter would exceed the amount
89	89	that may be spent under Subsection (a), the board shall reduce the
90	90	amount of each grant, incentive funding award, and stipend as
91	91	necessary to comply with that subsection.
92	92	Sec. 61.807. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
93	93	accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private
94	94	source for purposes of this subchapter.
95	95	Sec. 61.808. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each
96	96	year, the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant
97	97	governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report
98	98	on the status and effectiveness of the measures established under
99	99	this subchapter.
100	100	Sec. 61.809. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary
101	101	to implement this subchapter. In adopting rules, the board shall
102	102	consult with institutions of higher education, the Texas Workforce
103	103	Commission, members of the business community, and other relevant
104	104	stakeholders.
105	105	Sec. 61.810. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September
106	106	1, 2025.
107	107	SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2022, the Texas Higher
108	108	Education Coordinating Board shall submit the board's initial
109	109	report required under Section 61.808, Education Code, as added by
110	110	this Act.
111	111	SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is
112	112	required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
113	113	legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
114	114	the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
115	115	purpose, the coordinating board may, but is not required to,
116	116	implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
117	117	available for that purpose.
118	118	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
119	119	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
120	120	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
121	121	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
122	122	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.