▁primary ▁purpose ▁of ▁production , ▁sale , ▁research , ▁or ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁product ▁or ▁service ▁and ▁provides ▁equ ity ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁the ▁invest ment . ▁The ▁income ▁tax ▁break ▁is ▁available ▁only ▁for ▁an ▁invest ment ▁made ▁on ▁or ▁after ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁but ▁before ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 2 3 . ▁The ▁bill ▁passed ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁Senate , ▁and ▁was ▁signed ▁by ▁Governor ▁Terry ▁Mc A ul iffe . ▁ ▁H B 1 6 9 2 ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁‘ F lat - F ee ▁D eg ree ,’ ▁is ▁a ▁higher ▁education ▁proposal ▁introduced ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Legisl ative ▁Session . ▁The ▁proposal ▁establish es ▁disc ount ed ▁tu ition ▁and ▁fe es ▁for ▁students ▁purs uing ▁degrees ▁in ▁high ▁demand ▁fields . ▁Stud ents ▁purs uing ▁high ▁demand ▁degrees , ▁such ▁education , ▁n urs ing , ▁and ▁Information ▁Technology ▁( IT ) ▁have ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁college ▁without ▁massive ▁deb t ▁so ▁long ▁as ▁the ▁students ▁satisfy ▁the ▁requirements ▁of ▁the ▁Fl at - F ee ▁D eg ree . ▁These ▁requirements ▁include ▁gradu ating ▁on ▁time ▁or ▁earlier , ▁rel in qu ishing ▁certain ▁amen ities ▁such ▁as ▁on - camp us ▁living ▁or ▁football ▁/ ▁basketball ▁ticket ▁lot ter ies , ▁and ▁requiring ▁students ▁to ▁take ▁summer ▁courses ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁use ▁buildings ▁that ▁are ▁under util ized . ▁The ▁bill ▁is ▁currently ▁being ▁studied ▁by