Florida Senate - 2019 SB 1798
By Senator Gibson
6-01876B-19 20191798__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary grant programs;
3 amending ss. 1009.50, 1009.505, 1009.51, and 1009.52,
4 F.S.; providing that, beginning with a specified term,
5 certain students are eligible to receive grants for
6 summer term enrollment; providing that certain
7 students are eligible to receive a certain amount of
8 additional funds per academic year for use in a fall,
9 spring, or summer term, or the equivalent, for
10 textbooks and educational expenses; providing an
11 effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
16 1009.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17 1009.50 Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program;
18 eligibility for grants.—
19 (2)(a) State student assistance grants through the program
20 may be made only to degree-seeking students who enroll in at
21 least 6 semester hours, or the equivalent per term, and who meet
22 the general requirements for student eligibility as provided in
23 s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section. The
24 grants shall be awarded annually for the amount of demonstrated
25 unmet need for the cost of education and may not exceed an
26 amount equal to the average prior academic year cost of tuition
27 fees and other registration fees for 30 credit hours at state
28 universities or such other amount as specified in the General
29 Appropriations Act, to any recipient. A demonstrated unmet need
30 of less than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a
31 state student assistance grant. Recipients of the grants must
32 have been accepted at a state university or Florida College
33 System institution authorized by Florida law. A student is
34 eligible for the award for 110 percent of the number of credit
35 hours required to complete the program in which enrolled, except
36 as otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019
37 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for
38 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by
39 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200
40 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or
41 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational
42 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the
43 Legislature.
44 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
45 1009.505, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
46 1009.505 Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education
47 Student Assistance Grant Program.—
48 (3)(a) Student assistance grants through the program may be
49 made only to certificate-seeking students enrolled at least
50 half-time in a public postsecondary career certificate program
51 who meet the general requirements for student eligibility as
52 provided in s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this
53 section. The grants shall be awarded annually to any recipient
54 for the amount of demonstrated unmet need for the cost of
55 education and may not exceed the average annual cost of tuition
56 and registration fees or such other amount as specified in the
57 General Appropriations Act. A demonstrated unmet need of less
58 than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a grant
59 under this section. Recipients of the grants must have been
60 accepted at a Florida College System institution authorized by
61 Florida law or a career center operated by a district school
62 board under s. 1001.44. A student is eligible for the award for
63 110 percent of the number of clock hours required to complete
64 the program in which enrolled. Beginning with the 2019 summer
65 term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for summer
66 term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by the
67 Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200 per
68 academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or the
69 equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational
70 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the
71 Legislature.
72 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
73 1009.51, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
74 1009.51 Florida Private Student Assistance Grant Program;
75 eligibility for grants.—
76 (2)(a) Florida private student assistance grants from the
77 State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund may be made only
78 to full-time degree-seeking students who meet the general
79 requirements for student eligibility as provided in s. 1009.40,
80 except as otherwise provided in this section. Such grants shall
81 be awarded for the amount of demonstrated unmet need for tuition
82 and fees and may not exceed an amount equal to the average
83 tuition and other registration fees for 30 credit hours at state
84 universities plus $1,000 per academic year, or as specified in
85 the General Appropriations Act, to any applicant. A demonstrated
86 unmet need of less than $200 shall render the applicant
87 ineligible for a Florida private student assistance grant.
88 Recipients of such grants must have been accepted at a
89 baccalaureate-degree-granting independent nonprofit college or
90 university, which is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of
91 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and which is
92 located in and chartered as a domestic corporation by the state.
93 No student may receive an award for more than the equivalent of
94 9 semesters or 14 quarters of full-time enrollment, except as
95 otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019
96 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for
97 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by
98 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200
99 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or
100 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational
101 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the
102 Legislature.
103 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
104 1009.52, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
105 1009.52 Florida Postsecondary Student Assistance Grant
106 Program; eligibility for grants.—
107 (2)(a) Florida postsecondary student assistance grants
108 through the State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund may be
109 made only to full-time degree-seeking students who meet the
110 general requirements for student eligibility as provided in s.
111 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section. Such
112 grants shall be awarded for the amount of demonstrated unmet
113 need for tuition and fees and may not exceed an amount equal to
114 the average prior academic year cost of tuition and other
115 registration fees for 30 credit hours at state universities plus
116 $1,000 per academic year, or as specified in the General
117 Appropriations Act, to any applicant. A demonstrated unmet need
118 of less than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a
119 Florida postsecondary student assistance grant. Recipients of
120 such grants must have been accepted at a postsecondary
121 institution that is located in the state and that is:
122 1. A private nursing diploma school approved by the Florida
123 Board of Nursing; or
124 2. A college or university licensed by the Commission for
125 Independent Education, excluding those institutions the students
126 of which are eligible to receive a Florida private student
127 assistance grant pursuant to s. 1009.51.
128
129 No student may receive an award for more than the equivalent of
130 9 semesters or 14 quarters of full-time enrollment, except as
131 otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019
132 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for
133 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by
134 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200
135 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or
136 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational
137 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the
138 Legislature.
139 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.