Bill > A888

Introduced Session

This bill increases the income-based eligibility of the Community College Opportunity Grant Program and codifies the Garden State Guarantee Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to provide last-dollar financial aid grants to eligible students enrolled in their third and fourth year of study at a four-year public institution of higher education. The bill revises the Community College Opportunity Grant Program to increase the income eligibility criteria under the program. Pursuant to current law, the program provides last-dollar financial aid grants to certain county college students who have an annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $65,000. The bill, meanwhile, increases this income threshold to permit eligible students with an annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $100,000 to receive awards. Under the bill, the authority is permitted to establish additional eligibility tiers exceeding the $100,000 income limit. The bill also codifies the Garden State Guarantee Program. To be eligible to receive a financial aid grant under the Garden State Guarantee Program, a student is required to: (1) be a legal resident of the State or otherwise be eligible for State student financial aid pursuant to current State law permitting certain undocumented students to receive State financial aid; (2) be enrolled in at least 12 credits at a four-year public institution of higher education and be in the third or fourth year of postsecondary academic study; (3) not have an annual adjusted gross income that is negative; (4) have an annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $100,000, unless otherwise adjusted by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority; (5) have applied for all other available forms of federal, State, and institutional need-based grants and merit scholarships and have completed required financial aid forms; (6) not owe a refund on a grant or scholarship previously received from a federal or State program through any institution or be in default on any federal or State student loan, unless the student makes arrangements with the authority to repay the debt; and (7) be in good academic standing and meet the minimum standards for academic performance and satisfactory academic progress. A student is to be eligible for a grant under the program for up to four semesters and may only be eligible for a grant under the program during a fall or spring semester in an academic year. Under the program, a grant distributed to an eligible student is to cover the student's net cost for up to 18 credits in a fall or spring semester. The bill provides that, subject to the availability of funds, the authority may, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, establish additional tiers of eligibility for students with an annual adjusted gross income above the maximum established under the bill. The bill also requires the authority to establish a maximum individual grant amount awarded under the program for each four-year public institution of higher education. This amount is not to increase by more than three percent over the prior year.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Gerry Scharfenberger (R)*,  Kenyatta Stewart (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document