Bill Text - HB605 (2017)

Establishing a scholarship for students pursuing careers in the service of children and the elderly.


Revision: Jan. 25, 2017, 2:39 p.m.

HB 605-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2017 SESSION

17-0477

04/05

 

HOUSE BILL 605-FN-A

 

AN ACT establishing a scholarship for students pursuing careers in the service of children and the elderly.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 13

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a social services scholarship program for high school students interested in pursuing careers in the social services.  

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

17-0477

04/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

 

AN ACT establishing a scholarship for students pursuing careers in the service of children and the elderly.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Higher Education Commission.  Amend RSA 21-N:8-a, II(e)(10) to read as follows:

(10)  Administer, at no cost to the state, the social services scholarship program established in RSA 21-N:8-c.

(11)  Assume other responsibilities as may be provided in state or federal law.

2  New Section; Social Services Scholarship Program.  Amend RSA 21-N by inserting after section 8-b the following new section:

21-N:8-c  Social Services Scholarship Program Established.  

I.  There is hereby established a social services scholarship program for high school students who elect to pursue careers in social services, including but not limited to, nursing and care of children and the elderly, which shall be administered by the higher education commission.  The purpose of this program is to provide public postsecondary education and training opportunities to every graduate of a public secondary school in New Hampshire by providing a full tuition scholarship for a maximum of 4 years to any student who is a resident of this state and who is pursuing a degree at any public postsecondary educational institution in New Hampshire in the social services.  All funds received pursuant to this chapter shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the higher education commission for the purposes of this program.

II.  A student who is interested in pursuing a degree in a social services field at any public postsecondary educational institution in New Hampshire and who graduated in the top 20 percent of his or her graduating class shall be eligible to apply for the scholarship.  An eligible student shall submit an application to the higher education commission, on a form developed by the commission.

III.  Applicants who are selected to receive a scholarship under this program shall maintain a 2.75 grade point average and meet such other criteria as may be established in this section.  Applicants selected shall receive a full tuition scholarship for the applicable tuition and fees, reduced by the amount of any other scholarship aid they may receive.  The scholarship shall be for a maximum of 4 years.  Scholarship recipients shall be required to work in the state of New Hampshire for a minimum of 4 years after graduation or shall repay the scholarship amount received in full.  

IV.  All funds in the social services scholarship fund established in this section shall be used annually to provide scholarships under this program.

V.  There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer a fund to be known as the social services scholarship fund.  The fund shall include any sums appropriated for such purpose.  In addition, the higher education commission may accept public sector and private sector grants, gifts, or donations of any kind for the purpose of funding the provisions of this section.  The moneys in this fund shall be nonlapsing and shall be continually appropriated to the higher education commission.  The fund shall be expended by the higher education commission to award scholarships to selected students in accordance with this section.  The state treasurer may invest moneys in the fund as provided by law, with interest received on such investment credited to the fund.

VI.  The higher education commission shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the following:

(a)  Instituting a scholarship application process.

(b)  Establishing academic and other standards by which scholarships shall be awarded.

(c)  Establishing priorities in awarding scholarships where the funds available for scholarships are less than the amount needed for eligible applicants.

(d)  Establishing procedures for awarding and disbursing scholarships.

3  New Subparagraph; Application of Receipts; Social Services Scholarship Fund.  Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (333) the following new subparagraph:

(334)  Moneys deposited in the social services scholarship fund established in RSA 21-N:8-c.

4  Appropriation.  The sum of $1 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and the sum of $1 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 are hereby appropriated to the higher education commission for the purposes of the social services scholarship program established in RSA 21-N:8-c.  The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

5  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.

 

LBAO

17-0477

1/20/17

 

HB 605-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

as introduced

 

AN ACT establishing a scholarship for students pursuing careers in the service of children and the elderly.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

   Appropriation

$1

$1

$0

$0

   Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [ X ] Social Services Scholarship Fund

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes the social services scholarship program, to be administered by the Higher Education Commission, and is intended to provide full tuition scholarships for up to four years for qualifying New Hampshire high school graduates or equivalency certificate holders pursuing a degree at a public New Hampshire public postsecondary educational institution.  This bill also establishes a dedicated fund for the program where funds from any public or private grants, gifts, or donations may be accepted into the fund.  It is assumed any costs to administer the program will be a charge against the fund.  The Department of Education estimates development and approval of administrative rules would occur in FY 2018 with the program becoming operational in FY 2019.  The Department further states it does not have the resources to develop the required rules and expects it would contract for such services at an estimated cost of $50,000.  Additionally, the Department states in FY 2019 and each year thereafter, depending on the rules ultimately developed, it may need up to two full-time employees to manage the program.  This bill makes a general fund appropriation of $1 in FY 2018 and $1 in FY 2019 for this program.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Education