Clock Hour Program Student Protection Act
This bill provides statutory authority for the 150% rule, which allows an educational program that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation to maintain eligibility for federal student aid funding if the program operates within 150% of the state's minimum hours requirement for licensure.
The Department of Education (ED) previously enforced the 150% rule through regulations. ED proposed a new regulation to rescind the 150% rule and instead limit the length of these programs to 100% of the state's minimum required hours. This revised regulation was set to take effect on July 1, 2024; however, a court imposed a temporary injunction to halt the regulation from taking effect.