Bill Text: IA SF2046 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to tuition and fee waivers for students enrolled in postsecondary studies in in-demand career fields and to prioritizing certain state grants and scholarships for such students. (See SF 2348.)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-13 - Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage. [SF2046 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF2046-Introduced.html
Senate File 2046 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY CHELGREN A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to tuition and fee waivers for students 2 enrolled in postsecondary studies in in=demand career fields 3 and to prioritizing certain state grants and scholarships 4 for such students. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 5063XS (3) 87 kh/jh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 84A.1B, Code 2018, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new subsection: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 15. Identify and list, in collaboration 1 4 with the Iowa coordinating council for post=high school 1 5 education and the local workforce development boards, 1 6 statewide and regional in=demand career fields for a five=year 1 7 period succeeding the current calendar year for purposes of 1 8 tuition and mandatory fees for Iowa's resident students who 1 9 major in the in=demand career fields as provided in section 1 10 260C.14, subsection 25, and section 262.9, subsection 39, 1 11 and prioritizing grants and scholarships administered by the 1 12 college student aid commission as provided in section 261.2, 1 13 subsection 13. The list of statewide in=demand career fields 1 14 compiled by the workforce development board shall be used by 1 15 the institutions of higher learning governed by the state board 1 16 of regents and by the college student aid commission. Each 1 17 community college shall use the list of regional in=demand 1 18 career fields compiled by the workforce development board for 1 19 the regional area in which the community college is located. 1 20 Sec. 2. Section 260C.14, Code 2018, is amended by adding the 1 21 following new subsection: 1 22 NEW SUBSECTION. 25. Annually waive tuition and mandatory 1 23 fees for a resident student who applies for a waiver under 1 24 this subsection and is enrolled in a program of study leading 1 25 to a certificate, competency=based credential, postsecondary 1 26 diploma, or associate degree necessary for employment in an 1 27 in=demand career field identified and listed by the state 1 28 workforce development board in accordance with section 84A.1B. 1 29 The student shall annually complete and submit application 1 30 forms required by the community college, including the free 1 31 application for federal student aid, and shall annually apply 1 32 for all available state and federal financial aid. The amount 1 33 of tuition and mandatory fees waived for a student under 1 34 this subsection shall not exceed the amount of the student's 1 35 financial need. If a student receives nonrepayable financial 2 1 aid under any other state or federal program, the full amount 2 2 of that aid shall be considered part of the student's financial 2 3 resources available before determining the amount of tuition 2 4 and mandatory fees to be waived under this subsection. 2 5 Sec. 3. Section 261.2, Code 2018, is amended by adding the 2 6 following new subsection: 2 7 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. Prioritize Iowa tuition grants awarded 2 8 under sections 261.9 through 261.16A, vocational=technical 2 9 tuition grants awarded under section 261.17, and scholarship 2 10 awards under the all Iowa opportunity scholarship program after 2 11 distribution to eligible foster care students, to give highest 2 12 priority to eligible students who are enrolled in programs of 2 13 study or are majoring in degree programs in in=demand career 2 14 fields identified and listed by the state workforce development 2 15 board under section 84A.1B, subsection 15. 2 16 Sec. 4. Section 262.9, Code 2018, is amended by adding the 2 17 following new subsection: 2 18 NEW SUBSECTION. 39. Annually waive tuition and mandatory 2 19 fees for a resident student who is enrolled at an institution 2 20 of higher learning governed by the board, who applies for a 2 21 waiver under this subsection, and is majoring in a degree 2 22 program leading to a bachelor's degree necessary for employment 2 23 in an in=demand career field identified and listed by the 2 24 state workforce development board in accordance with section 2 25 84A.1B. The student shall annually complete and submit 2 26 application forms required by the institution, including the 2 27 free application for federal student aid, and shall annually 2 28 apply for all available state and federal financial aid. The 2 29 amount of tuition and mandatory fees waived for a student under 2 30 this subsection shall not exceed the amount of the student's 2 31 financial need. If a student receives nonrepayable financial 2 32 aid under any other state or federal program, the full amount 2 33 of that aid shall be considered part of the student's financial 2 34 resources available before determining the amount of tuition 2 35 and mandatory fees to be waived under this subsection. 3 1 Sec. 5. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT. Section 25B.2, subsection 3 2 3, shall not apply to this Act. 3 3 EXPLANATION 3 4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 5 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 6 This bill requires community colleges and regents 3 7 universities to waive tuition and mandatory fees for students 3 8 enrolled in or majoring in programs leading to in=demand 3 9 career fields, and directs the college student aid commission 3 10 to prioritize certain state grants and scholarships to give 3 11 priority to students enrolled in or majoring in programs 3 12 leading to in=demand career fields identified and listed by the 3 13 state workforce development board. 3 14 A student enrolled in a community college or regents 3 15 university must apply to the institution of enrollment for a 3 16 waiver, must annually complete and submit application forms 3 17 required by the institution, including the free application for 3 18 federal student aid, and annually apply for all available state 3 19 and federal financial aid. The amount of tuition and mandatory 3 20 fees waived shall not exceed the amount of the student's 3 21 financial need. If a student receives nonrepayable financial 3 22 aid under any other state or federal program, the full amount 3 23 of that aid shall be considered part of the student's financial 3 24 resources available before determining the amount of tuition 3 25 and mandatory fees to be waived. 3 26 The college student aid commission is directed to adopt 3 27 rules that prioritize Iowa tuition grants, vocational=technical 3 28 tuition grants, and all Iowa opportunity scholarship awards to 3 29 give highest priority to eligible students who are enrolled 3 30 in programs of study or are majoring in degree programs in 3 31 in=demand career fields identified and listed by the state 3 32 workforce development board. However, eligible foster care 3 33 students have the highest priority for awards under the all 3 34 Iowa opportunity scholarship program. 3 35 The state workforce development board is directed to 4 1 identify and list, in collaboration with the Iowa coordinating 4 2 council for post=high school education and the local workforce 4 3 development boards, statewide and regional in=demand career 4 4 fields for a five=year period succeeding the current year 4 5 calendar year. The list of statewide in=demand career fields 4 6 shall be used by the regents universities and by the college 4 7 student aid commission. Each community college shall use 4 8 the list of regional in=demand career fields compiled by the 4 9 board for the regional area in which the community college is 4 10 located. 4 11 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 4 12 section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, 4 13 subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from 4 14 complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of 4 15 the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, 4 16 political subdivisions are required to comply with any state 4 17 mandate included in the bill. LSB 5063XS (3) 87 kh/jh
