State Legislative Alert

Senate Bill 0577
Coalition’s Position: Against
Financial aid
Authored by Senator Kenley
Referred to Committee on Appropriations

DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL (Boldness added as our concern)

Allows the department of correction to provide financial assistance for tuition, books, and supplies for an incarcerated felony offender who enrolls in a college degree program, and prohibits the state student assistance commission from providing the financial assistance.

Specifies that individuals who have an associate degree are eligible for the same awards as a student who graduated from high school with a core 40 or academic honors diploma. Requires a student participating in the twenty-first century scholarship program to: (1) participate in an appropriate intervention program while enrolled in secondary school; and (2) maintain a grade point average of 2.5 during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, if the student enters the twenty-first century scholarship program after the 2010-2011 school year. Allows money to be transferred from the freedom of choice grant fund to the higher education award fund. Reduces the amount of the educational scholarship provided to a child of a parent with a military service related disability of less than 80%. Provides that only undergraduate fees are eligible for remission or scholarship awards.