Bill > HB4377

This bill modifies the Michigan Reconnect Grant Recipient Act to lower the minimum age requirement for program eligibility from 25 to 21 years old, with the reduced age criterion applicable only if sufficient funds are appropriated and only until the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2032. The bill aims to expand access to the Reconnect Initiative, which provides last-dollar financial assistance to adult learners seeking associate degrees, industry-recognized certificates, or credentials. The program's broader goals include helping individuals gain skills needed for an evolving economy, driving innovations for adult learners in community colleges, addressing educational equity gaps, and working towards increasing the percentage of residents ages 25-64 with a college degree or skill certificate to 60% by 2030. The bill maintains existing eligibility requirements such as being a Michigan resident, having a high school diploma or equivalent, not having previously earned an associate or bachelor's degree, completing a grant application, filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and applying for available gift aid. The modifications apply to both the Michigan Reconnect Grant program for associate degrees and the Reconnect Short-Term Training Program, which offers up to $1,500 in tuition assistance for qualified occupational training programs.

Budget and Finance

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4377