Bill > S1140

This bill amends the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to allow students who cannot immediately accept their scholarship after high school due to a full-time religious or service obligation lasting at least 18 months to have their eligibility periods begin after completing that obligation. This means the two-year period to accept an initial award and the five-year period for renewal awards would start upon completion of the religious or service commitment. The bill also specifies that the sponsoring organization for such an obligation must be a nonprofit organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or a federal government service organization like the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, and the obligation must be documented and verified by the sponsoring entity. This change provides flexibility for students who dedicate time to significant service before starting college.