Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB994 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	87R1638 KJE-D
1	2		By: Powell, et al. S.B. No. 994
2		-	(In the Senate - Filed March 3, 2021; March 18, 2021, read
3		-	first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
4		-	April 29, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6,
5		-	Nays 3; April 29, 2021, sent to printer.)
6		-	Click here to see the committee vote
7	3
8	4
9	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	6		AN ACT
11	7		relating to measures to facilitate the successful completion of
12	8		degree and certificate programs by certain adult learners at public
13	9		institutions of higher education.
14	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	11		SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
16	12		Subchapter R to read as follows:
17	13		SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS RECOVERY ACT
18	14		Sec. 61.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
19	15		(1) "Adult learner" means a person who:
20	16		(A) is at least 25 years of age but not older than
21	17		34 years of age; and
22	18		(B) within the preceding 48 months, has achieved
23	19		at least 75 percent completion of a baccalaureate or associate
24	20		degree or certificate program.
25	21		(2) "Texas WORKS internship program" means the Texas
26	22		Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS)
27	23		Internship Program established under Subchapter E-1, Chapter 56.
28	24		Sec. 61.802. TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
29	25		(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
30	26		provide to each adult learner enrolled in a baccalaureate or
31	27		associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
32	28		education a grant for each semester or term in the amount equal to
33	29		25 percent of the average statewide amount of tuition and required
34	30		fees that a resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate
35	31		or associate degree or certificate program, as applicable, would be
36	32		charged for that semester or term at the type of institution of
37	33		higher education at which the adult learner is enrolled.
38	34		(b) An adult learner receiving a grant under this section
39	35		may use the money only to pay the cost of tuition or required fees
40	36		for the baccalaureate or associate degree or certificate program in
41	37		which the adult learner is enrolled at an institution of higher
42	38		education.
43	39		Sec. 61.803. INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR ADULT LEARNERS. (a) For
44	40		the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, the board
45	41		shall distribute incentive funding to each institution of higher
46		-	education based on the number of adult ~~learners~~ enrolled at the
	42	+	education based on the number of adult leaners enrolled at the
47	43		institution who, during the preceding state fiscal biennium:
48	44		(1) timely completed:
49	45		(A) a baccalaureate or associate degree program
50	46		in accordance with the adult learner's degree plan; or
51	47		(B) a certificate program, as established by
52	48		board rule; or
53	49		(2) received a baccalaureate or associate degree or
54	50		certificate in a target field, as established by board rule.
55	51		(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of
56	52		incentive funding distributed per qualifying adult learner to an
57	53		institution of higher education under this section for a state
58	54		fiscal biennium may not be less than the amount of funding provided
59	55		per student for that biennium for achievement of an equivalent
60	56		student success measure under Section 61.0593(f), Education Code.
61	57		Sec. 61.804. FINAL SEMESTER INTERNSHIPS FOR ADULT LEARNERS.
62	58		(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall
63	59		collaborate with employers who participate in the Texas WORKS
64	60		internship program to ensure that:
65	61		(1) employers give priority in employment under that
66	62		program to adult learners in the final semester of a baccalaureate
67	63		or associate degree or certificate program at an institution of
68	64		higher education; and
69	65		(2) each adult learner employed through that program
70	66		during the adult learner's final semester of a baccalaureate or
71	67		associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher
72	68		education receives an additional $2,500 stipend as part of the
73	69		adult learner's wages under that program.
74	70		(b) The board shall certify internships provided through
75	71		the Texas WORKS internship program through which an adult learner
76	72		may earn course credit toward the adult learner's baccalaureate or
77	73		associate degree or certificate program, as applicable.
78	74		Sec. 61.805. GRAD TX PROGRAM. The board shall establish the
79	75		Grad TX program in collaboration with institutions of higher
80	76		education to support the reskilling, upskilling, and high-value
81	77		degree or certificate program completion of adult learners. The
82	78		program may include:
83	79		(1) academic and career advising;
84	80		(2) assistance with available student financial aid
85	81		options; and
86	82		(3) flexible degree or certificate programs designed
87	83		for adult learners.
88	84		Sec. 61.806. LIMITATION. (a) The total amount spent under
89	85		this subchapter may not exceed $50 million.
90	86		(b) If the total cost of providing grants, incentive
91	87		funding, or stipends to all eligible adult learners or institutions
92	88		of higher education under this subchapter would exceed the amount
93	89		that may be spent under Subsection (a), the board shall reduce the
94	90		amount of each grant, incentive funding award, and stipend as
95	91		necessary to comply with that subsection.
96	92		Sec. 61.807. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
97	93		accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private
98	94		source for purposes of this subchapter.
99	95		Sec. 61.808. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each
100	96		year, the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant
101	97		governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report
102	98		on the status and effectiveness of the measures established under
103	99		this subchapter.
104	100		Sec. 61.809. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary
105	101		to implement this subchapter. In adopting rules, the board shall
106	102		consult with institutions of higher education, the Texas Workforce
107	103		Commission, members of the business community, and other relevant
108	104		stakeholders.
109	105		Sec. 61.810. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September
110	106		1, 2025.
111	107		SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2022, the Texas Higher
112	108		Education Coordinating Board shall submit the board's initial
113	109		report required under Section 61.808, Education Code, as added by
114	110		this Act.
115	111		SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is
116	112		required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
117	113		legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
118	114		the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
119	115		purpose, the coordinating board may, but is not required to,
120	116		implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
121	117		available for that purpose.
122	118		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
123	119		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
124	120		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
125	121		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
126	122		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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