Revision: March 10, 2022, 2:36 p.m.
Rep. Murphy, Graf. 12
March 10, 2022
2022-1067h
04/05
Floor Amendment to HB 1524-FN
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 3 with the following:
4 New Subdivision; National Service Alumni Attraction and Retention Fund. Amend RSA 19-H by inserting after section 9 the following new subdivision:
National Service Alumni Attraction and Retention Fund
19-H:10 National Service Alumni Attraction and Retention Fund.
I. There is hereby established in the state treasury a national service alumni attraction and retention fund to provide grants to New Hampshire-based employers and institutions of higher education for the purpose of providing financial assistance, workforce development, and education to AmeriCorps alumni and returned Peace Corps volunteers who have successfully completed one or more terms of civilian national service and are considering pursuing postsecondary education or employment in the state of New Hampshire. Volunteer NH may approve the expenditure of up to 20 percent of the fund’s total allocation for staffing, office space and office supplies, and outreach to New Hampshire-based employers and institutions of higher education; and up to 10 percent of the fund's total allocation for marketing to prospective, current, and former civilian national service members. The remainder of the fund shall be used to provide grants to AmeriCorps alumni and returned Peace Corps volunteers pursuant to this section. Distribution of funds shall be administered by the commissioner of the department of administrative services. The fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the commissioner for the purposes of this subdivision.
II. The commissioner may accept and shall credit to the fund any additional gifts, grants, donations or bequests, or any federal, state, or local funds from any source if such funds are intended to be used for the purpose of the fund.
III. Volunteer NH shall award a matching grant of $500 to $3,000 per satisfactory completion of a term of service with either AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps from the fund established in paragraph I to a student enrolled at any institution in the community college system of New Hampshire or university system of New Hampshire. Satisfactory completion of a term of service shall be determined by reference to the rules and certifications of AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, as applicable. Institutions in the community college system of New Hampshire or university system of New Hampshire shall be enrolled in either the AmeriCorps Schools of Service or the Peace Corps' Coverdell Fellows program. An eligible student shall have been awarded a grant or scholarship from the college or university prior to receiving any matching grant from the fund. Volunteer NH shall disburse the matching grant to the college's or university's financial aid office which shall disburse the funds as a scholarship to an eligible student. No student shall receive grant moneys totaling more than $6,000 from the fund.
IV. Volunteer NH shall award a matching grant of $500 to $3,000 per satisfactory completion of a term of service with either AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps from the fund established in paragraph I to a New Hampshire-based employer that is enrolled in the Employers of National Service program. Satisfactory completion of a term of service shall be ascertained by reference to the rules and certifications of AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps, as applicable. Each grant shall be for the benefit of an employee who is an AmeriCorps alum or a returned Peace Corps volunteer and has successfully completed one year of employment with such employer. The purpose of the matching grant shall be to provide debt service on such employee's student loans. Volunteer NH shall disburse the matching grant to the employer which shall disburse the funds to the employee's student loan servicing agency or company. No employee shall receive grant moneys totaling more than $6,000 from the fund.
5 National Service Alumni Attraction and Retention Fund; Transfer. The sum of $750,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 is transferred to the national service alumni attraction and retention fund established in RSA 19-H:10 for the purposes of the fund. The governor shall determine if any discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, or any other federal funds, can be used for this purpose, and such federal funds shall be expended for this purpose.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.