HOUSE BILL NO. 3221 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE CASTEEL.
7040H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 173, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to a prohibition on state funding of low-earning outcome degree programs.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 173, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 173.1530, to read as follows: 173.1530. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the 2 "Accountability for Low-Earning Outcome Degrees in Higher Education Act of 2026". 3 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: 4 (1) "Board", the coordinating board for higher education; 5 (2) "Low-earning outcome degree program", an educational program described 6 as a low-earning outcome program in Section 84001 of Pub. L. 119-21; 7 (3) "State agency", any state agency, as the term "state agency" is defined in 8 section 32.385, that administers funding for higher education purposes. 9 3. The board shall adopt rules to prohibit institutions of higher education in this 10 state and any state agencies from allocating or expending state funds, either directly or 11 indirectly, for low-earning outcome degree programs. The prohibition shall apply to, 12 but not be limited to, the following categories of higher education funding: 13 (1) Individual student financial aid; 14 (2) Base operational or instructional funding; 15 (3) Separately or specially appropriated aid or grants; and 16 (4) Capital or facilities funding.
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 3221 2
17 4. The board shall annually review updated federal determinations of low- 18 earning outcome degree programs under Section 84001 of Pub. L. 119-21 and adopt 19 rules in accordance with subsection 3 of this section. 20 5. The board shall submit an annual and publicly available report to the general 21 assembly documenting: 22 (1) Programs prohibited from receiving state aid under this section; 23 (2) Enforcement of such prohibitions; and 24 (3) The estimated fiscal impact due to the prohibitions. 25 6. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is 26 created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it 27 complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, 28 section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers 29 vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the 30 effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, 31 then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 32 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: