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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an electronic system adopted and maintained by public |
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institutions of higher education to employ a person to track the |
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academic progress of military veterans or their family members |
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receiving student financial assistance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 56.006, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.006. FACILITATING [EMPLOYEE TRAINED IN STUDENT
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FINANCIAL] ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILIES; TRACKING |
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ACADEMIC PROGRESS. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.006, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Each institution of higher education shall ensure that |
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one or more persons employed by the institution is trained: |
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(1) in understanding state and federal student |
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financial assistance programs available to military veterans or |
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their family members, especially programs specifically applicable |
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to military veterans or their family members; [and] |
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(2) in assisting military veterans and eligible family |
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members in understanding and obtaining the benefits available under |
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those programs; and |
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(3) in tracking, through the electronic auditing |
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system as described by Subsection (a-1), the academic progress of |
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military veterans or family members of veterans receiving student |
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financial assistance, in verifying the information provided by the |
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system, and in providing guidance in understanding and using the |
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information. |
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(a-1) Each institution of higher education shall adopt and |
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maintain an electronic auditing system to verify the enrollment and |
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completion of courses that count toward the degree plan of military |
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veterans or family members of veterans receiving student financial |
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assistance. The electronic auditing system must, through the |
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institution's Internet website, allow a student described by this |
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subsection to track the student's progress towards completing the |
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student's degree plan. |
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SECTION 3. Each public institution of higher education in |
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this state shall implement the electronic auditing system as |
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required by Section 56.006, Education Code, as amended by this Act, |
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beginning with the 2014 fall semester. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |