Bill > HF481

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the United States army reserve service scholarship program within the college student aid commission to provide scholarships to certain members of the reserve forces of the United States army. The bill provides that an individual is eligible for a scholarship under the program if the individual is a resident of the state and a member of a United States army reserve unit while receiving scholarship award payments; satisfactorily completed required initial active duty training; maintains satisfactory performance of duty upon return from initial active duty training; is enrolled as an undergraduate student in a community college in this state, an institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents, or an accredited private institution, and maintains satisfactory academic progress; completes and submits application forms required by the commission and applies for all nonrepayable state and federal financial aid for which the member is eligible; and is certified as meeting the requirements under the program. The bill provides that scholarship awards under the program shall not exceed the resident tuition rate established for institutions of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents. If the amount appropriated in a fiscal year for purposes of the program is insufficient to provide scholarships to all who apply for and are eligible for the program, the commission shall determine the distribution of scholarships. The bill prohibits an eligible member of the United States army reserves from receiving scholarship awards under the program for more than 120 semester credit hours of undergraduate study. However, an eligible member of the United States army reserves who is enrolled in a program of education leading to a postsecondary degree that meets the eligibility requirements for the federal Edith Nourse Rogers STEM scholarship may receive scholarship awards under the program for 130 semester credit hours of undergraduate study. The bill establishes limits on the amount of scholarship awards for eligible members who receive scholarship awards under the program and the national guard service scholarship program. A United States army reserve member who has met the educational requirements for a baccalaureate degree is ineligible for a scholarship award under the program. Awards under the program shall be paid to the educational institution by the commission upon receipt of certification by the educational institution as to accuracy of charges made and as to the attendance and academic progress of the individual at the educational institution. The commission must maintain an annual record of the number of participants and the dollar value of the awards issued under the program. Scholarships awarded under the program may be used by the recipient for the recipient’s cost of attendance as defined in the federal Higher Education Act of 1965.

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Shannon Latham (R)*, 

Introduced, referred to Appropriations. H.J. 437. (on 02/28/2023)

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Official Document