Revision: Jan. 18, 2019, 2:45 p.m.
SB 108 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0838
04/03
SENATE BILL 108
AN ACT relative to eligibility for the governor's scholarship program.
SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10
COMMITTEE: Education and Workforce Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill removes private postsecondary educational institutions from participation in the governor's scholarship program and inserts new definitions applicable to the program.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0838
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT relative to eligibility for the governor's scholarship program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Governor's Scholarship Program. RSA 4-C:31 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
4-C:31 Definitions. In this subdivision:
I. "Eligible institution or program" means:
(a) A postsecondary educational institution or training program within the university system of New Hampshire as defined in RSA 187-A, a postsecondary educational institution or training program within the community college system of New Hampshire as defined in RSA 188-F, or a postsecondary training or certificate program operating in this state; and
(b) Is approved by the higher education commission pursuant to RSA 21-N:8-a or accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education; and
(c) Is a not-for-profit organization eligible to receive federal Title IV funds.
II. "Eligible student" means a first-year, full-time or part-time student who meets the eligibility and residency requirements of RSA 4-C:33. "First-year" means a student who has never enrolled in an eligible institution or program.
III. "Full-time" means an enrolled student who is carrying an academic course load that is determined to be full-time by the eligible institution or program based on a standard applicable to all students enrolled in a particular educational program. The student's course load may include any combination of courses, work, research, or special studies that the eligible institution or program consider sufficient to classify the student as full-time.
IV. "Office" means the governor's office of strategic initiatives.
V. "Part-time" means an enrolled student who is carrying an academic course load that is determined to be part-time by the eligible institution or program based on a standard applicable to all students enrolled in a particular educational program. The student's course load may include any combination of courses, work, research, or special studies that the eligible institution or program consider sufficient to classify the student as part-time.
VI. "Program" means the governor's scholarship program.
2 Governor's Scholarship Program. Amend RSA 4-C:32 through 4-C:35 to read as follows:
4-C:32 Program Established. There is hereby established the governor's scholarship program in the office of strategic initiatives which shall be administered by the office. The program shall provide scholarships which a recipient shall apply to the costs of an education at [a postsecondary educational institution or training program] an eligible institution or program. The office [shall determine any additional criteria regarding how and when scholarship funds shall be distributed, and] may elect to distribute funds to [an individual] an eligible student in a lump sum or over a period of months or years.
4-C:33 Eligibility.
I. Any person who meets the following requirements shall be an eligible [for a scholarship] student:
(a) A person shall meet the residency requirements of RSA 193:12, and be a graduate of a New Hampshire high school, public academy, chartered public school, or a high school-level home education program as defined in RSA 193-A, have completed at least 3 years of high school in this state, be pursuing a certificate, associate, or bachelor degree at [a public or private postsecondary educational] an eligible institution or program in this state, and be eligible to receive a Pell grant; or
(b) A person shall be a graduate of a preparatory high school outside of this state while a dependent of a parent or legal guardian who is a legal resident of this state and who has custody of the dependent; or
(c) A person shall have a parent or guardian who has served in or has retired from the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard within the last 4 years and is a resident of this state; or
(d) A person shall be a graduate of a high school, public academy, chartered public high school, or a high school-level home education program outside of this state but have maintained his or her primary residence in this state for not less than 5 years preceding the date of application for a scholarship.
II. A person shall meet the qualifications for academic performance or work experience as established by the office.
III. A person shall not have been adjudicated delinquent or convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state, or under the laws of the United States, except that an otherwise eligible person who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor offense shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for a scholarship after the expiration of one academic year from the date of adjudication, conviction, or plea.
4-C:34 Governor's Scholarship Fund Established.
I. There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer the governor's scholarship fund which shall be kept distinct and separate from all other funds. The fund shall provide scholarships for the benefit of eligible residents of the state pursuing programs of study or training at a [postsecondary educational institution or training program] eligible institution or program within the state.
II. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund any appropriation relating to the governor's scholarship program made to the department of education, division of educator support and higher education for each fiscal year. The state treasurer shall invest the fund in accordance with RSA 6:8. Any earnings on trust fund moneys shall be added to the fund.
III. All moneys in the fund shall be nonlapsing.
IV. The office may institute promotional programs and solicit and receive gifts or donations of any kind for the purpose of supporting educational scholarships from the fund. The office may accept gifts to the fund including, but not limited to, cash gifts, and real or personal property, without the approval of the governor and council.
V. All gifts, grants, and donations of any kind shall be credited to the fund.
4-C:35 Procedures.
I. All scholarship funds shall be distributed to the eligible student by the [postsecondary educational] eligible institution or program. The institution or program shall include the scholarship in the student's financial aid package and may seek subsequent reimbursement. The state shall provide the reimbursements twice per year to each eligible institution or program for the number of eligible students enrolled in the current semester or term who are receiving a scholarship [in the amount of $1,000]. [An] The institution or program shall submit the list of scholarship [students] recipients to the office or its designee no later than November 30 and April 30 of each academic year, and shall be reimbursed within 30 days of [those submittal dates] submission.
II. An eligible [person] student may receive a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 per year provided he or she maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average. An eligible [person] student who earned the New Hampshire scholar designation at the time of high school graduation [shall be eligible to] may receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,000 per year provided he or she maintains at least a 2.5 grade point average. [In all cases] The [postsecondary educational] eligible institution or program shall [agree to] not reduce any merit or need-based grant aid that would have otherwise been provided to the eligible [person] student. An eligible [person] student may receive an annual scholarship for a maximum of 4 years.
III. In the event the state does not reimburse [a postsecondary educational] the eligible institution or program for scholarship amounts paid to an eligible [person] student receiving an award, the eligible institution or program shall agree not to seek additional payments from the eligible [person] student and to absorb the loss of funds without any consequence to the eligible student.
IV. The office shall [determine] develop additional procedures that may be necessary for distributing scholarship funds to an eligible [person] student enrolled in an [approved training program] eligible institution or program.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.