Establishes the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026" to prohibit the allocation of state funds for low-earning outcome academic degree programs

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Establishes the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026" to prohibit the allocation of state funds for low-earning outcome academic degree programs

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1617 - This act establishes the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026", which requires the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to adopt rules prohibiting state funds from being allocated or expended for academic degree programs that satisfy the definition of a low-earning outcome program under federal law.

What This Bill Does

• The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1617 - This act establishes the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026", which requires the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to adopt rules prohibiting state funds from being allocated or expended for academic degree programs that satisfy the definition of a low-earning outcome program under federal law.
• The restricted funding categories include, but are not limited to, student financial aid, base operational funding, separately appropriated aid or grants, and capital or facilities funding.
• The Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall annually review updated federal determinations of low-earning outcome programs and adopt rules in accordance with the act.
• Additionally, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall submit an annual and publicly available report to the General Assembly documenting the programs prohibited from receiving state aid, the enforcement of such prohibitions, and the estimated fiscal impact due to the prohibitions.

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1617 - This act establishes the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026", which requires the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to adopt rules prohibiting state funds from being allocated or expended for academic degree programs that satisfy the definition of a low-earning outcome program under federal law. The restricted funding categories include, but are not limited to, student financial aid, base operational funding, separately appropriated aid or grants, and capital or facilities funding. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall annually review updated federal determinations of low-earning outcome programs and adopt rules in accordance with the act. Additionally, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall submit an annual and publicly available report to the General Assembly documenting the programs prohibited from receiving state aid, the enforcement of such prohibitions, and the estimated fiscal impact due to the prohibitions.
OLIVIA SHANNON

Current Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1617
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR BRATTIN.
6960S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 173, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to accountability for
low-earning outcome degrees in higher education.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 173, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 173.031, to read as 2
follows:3
173.031. 1. This section shall be known and may be 1
cited as the "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees 2
in Higher Education Act of 2026". 3
2. The coordinating board for higher education shall: 4
(1) Adopt rules to prohibit state funds from being 5
allocated or expended, either directly or indirectly, for 6
academic degree programs that satisfy the definition of a 7
low-earning outcome program under Section 84001 of Pub. L. 8
119-21. These restrictions shall include, but are not 9
limited to, the following categories of higher education 10
funding: 11
(a) Individual student financial aid; 12
(b) Base operational or instructional funding; 13
(c) Separately or specially appropriated aid or 14
grants; and 15
(d) Capital or facilities funding; 16
SB 1617 2
(2) Annually review updated federal determinations of 17
low-earning outcome programs under Section 84001 of Pub. L. 18
119-21 and adopt rules in accordance with subdivision (1) of 19
this subsection; and 20
(3) Submit an annual and publicly available report to 21
the general assembly documenting: 22
(a) Programs prohibited from receiving state aid under 23
this section; 24
(b) Enforcement of such prohibitions; and 25
(c) The estimated fiscal impact due to the 26
prohibitions. 27
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