Bill Text: TX SB1758 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the application of certain occupation-related postsecondary educational financial aid and student loan repayment programs.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-16 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1758 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1758-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the application of certain occupation-related postsecondary educational financial aid and student loan repayment programs.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-16 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1758 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1758-Introduced.html
86R11577 SOS-D | ||
By: Creighton | S.B. No. 1758 |
|
||
|
||
relating to the application of certain occupation-related | ||
postsecondary educational financial aid, program support, and | ||
student loan repayment programs. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 56.351, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 56.351. DEFINITIONS [ |
||
(1) "Coordinating [ |
||
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. | ||
(2) "Eligible institution" means: | ||
(A) a public or private institution of higher | ||
education in this state; or | ||
(B) 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 2. Section 56.354(a), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) A person may receive Teach for Texas loan repayment | ||
assistance under this subchapter for the repayment of any student | ||
loan for education at any eligible institution [ |
||
|
||
not a state or federal guaranteed student loan, the note or other | ||
writing governing the terms of the loan must require the loan | ||
proceeds to be used for expenses incurred by a person to attend an | ||
eligible [ |
||
SECTION 3. Section 56.357(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a person | ||
must apply for a grant and: | ||
(1) have received a baccalaureate degree from an | ||
eligible institution [ |
||
out-of-state institution of higher education; and | ||
(2) enroll in an alternative educator certification | ||
program described by Section 21.049 and satisfy either of the | ||
following conditions: | ||
(A) be seeking educator certification in a | ||
teaching field certified by the commissioner of education as | ||
experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in this state in the | ||
year in which the person receives the grant and agree to teach for | ||
five years in a public school in this state in that teaching field; | ||
or | ||
(B) agree to teach for five years in a public | ||
school in this state in a community, which is not required to be | ||
specifically designated at the time the person receives the grant, | ||
certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a | ||
critical shortage of teachers in any year in which the person | ||
receives a grant under this section or in any subsequent year in | ||
which the person fulfills the teaching obligation. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 56.3575(b), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(b) The coordinating board shall distribute a copy of the | ||
rules adopted under this section and pertinent information relating | ||
to this subchapter to each eligible [ |
||
[ |
||
certification program, including an alternative educator | ||
certification program or another equivalent program. | ||
SECTION 5. 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) [ |
||
education; | ||
(3) [ |
||
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[ |
||
|
||
SECTION 6. Section 61.608(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher | ||
education, [ |
||
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 7. 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 [ |
||
|
||
SECTION 8. 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 9. 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 10. Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.97711 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.97711. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This | ||
subchapter applies to: | ||
(1) an institution of higher education; | ||
(2) a private or independent institution of higher | ||
education; and | ||
(3) 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 11. Section 61.9772(a), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) To receive an initial scholarship under this | ||
subchapter, a student must: | ||
(1) be enrolled in an [ |
||
institution to which this subchapter applies [ |
||
|
||
(2) enroll in and be a member in good standing of a | ||
Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program or another | ||
undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the United | ||
States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class while enrolled in the [ |
||
|
||
(3) be appointed to receive a scholarship by the | ||
governor, the lieutenant governor, a state senator, or a state | ||
representative; and | ||
(4) enter into an agreement with the board under | ||
Section 61.9773. | ||
SECTION 12. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a | ||
student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by | ||
this section. The agreement must require the student to: | ||
(1) complete four years of ROTC training or complete | ||
another undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the | ||
United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class; | ||
(2) graduate not later than six years after the date | ||
the student first enrolls in an [ |
||
which this subchapter applies [ |
||
(3) after graduation, enter into: | ||
(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the | ||
Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State | ||
Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine; | ||
or | ||
(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer | ||
in any branch of the armed services of the United States; | ||
(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all | ||
other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard, | ||
Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast | ||
Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed | ||
services with which the student enters into a contract; and | ||
(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student: | ||
(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic | ||
progress; | ||
(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or | ||
(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract | ||
described by Subdivision (3). | ||
SECTION 13. Section 61.9775(b), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(b) A scholarship awarded to a student under this subchapter | ||
shall be reduced for an academic year by the amount by which the | ||
full amount of the scholarship plus the total amount to be paid to | ||
the student for being under contract with one of the branches of the | ||
armed services of the United States exceeds the student's total | ||
cost of attendance for that academic year at the [ |
||
institution to which this subchapter applies [ |
||
in which the student is enrolled. | ||
SECTION 14. Section 61.9821, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.9821. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The board shall | ||
establish and administer a program to provide, in accordance with | ||
this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of | ||
student loans for nurses who: | ||
(1) are serving on the faculties of nursing degree | ||
programs at institutions to which this subchapter applies [ |
||
|
||
|
||
professional nursing; and | ||
(2) apply and qualify for the assistance. | ||
SECTION 15. Subchapter JJ, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.98211 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.98211. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This | ||
subchapter applies to: | ||
(1) an institution of higher education; | ||
(2) a private or independent institution of higher | ||
education; and | ||
(3) 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 16. Section 61.9822, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.9822. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan | ||
repayment assistance under this subchapter, a nurse must: | ||
(1) apply to the board; | ||
(2) at the time of application for repayment | ||
assistance have been employed full-time for at least one year as, | ||
and be currently employed full-time as, a faculty member of a | ||
nursing degree program at an institution to which this subchapter | ||
applies [ |
||
|
||
(3) comply with any additional requirements adopted by | ||
board rule. | ||
SECTION 17. Section 61.9823(a), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) On qualifying for loan repayment assistance under this | ||
subchapter, a nurse may receive repayment assistance for each year | ||
of full-time employment as a faculty member of a nursing degree | ||
program at an institution to which this subchapter applies [ |
||
|
||
|
||
SECTION 18. 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 for education at any [ |
||
|
||
|
||
by an eligible person through any lender. | ||
SECTION 19. Section 61.9828(b), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(b) The board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted | ||
under this section and pertinent information regarding this | ||
subchapter to: | ||
(1) each institution to which this subchapter applies | ||
[ |
||
|
||
(2) any appropriate state agency; and | ||
(3) any appropriate professional association. | ||
SECTION 20. 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) 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 [ |
||
|
||
SECTION 21. 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 22. 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. |