Bill Text: MO HB1858 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Transfers the administrative responsibility for the Minority Teaching Scholarship and the Minority and Underrepresented Environmental Literacy Program to the Department of Higher Education
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-06-18 - Delivered to Secretary of State (G) [HB1858 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2010-HB1858-Enrolled.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AN ACT
To repeal sections 161.415 and 640.240, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to scholarships to be administered by the department of higher education.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 161.415 and 640.240, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 161.415 and 173.240, to read as follows:
161.415. 1. Within the limits of amounts appropriated therefor, the department of [elementary and secondary] higher education shall make available up to one hundred one-year, renewable scholarships in an amount of two thousand dollars to minority students for the purpose of encouraging minority students to enter teaching. Such scholarships shall be available to minority high school graduates and college students who are residents of Missouri, and who enter and make a commitment to pursue a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education and offered by a four-year college or university located in Missouri, or who after the completion of their baccalaureate degree enter teacher education and make a commitment to teach science or mathematics, and who have:
(1) Achieved scores on an accepted standardized test of academic ability, including, but not limited to, the SAT, ACT, SCAT, which place them at or above the seventy-fifth percentile; and
(2) A high school rank at or above the seventy-fifth percentile.
2. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of scholarships or revenues available, the department of [elementary and secondary] higher education may consider the financial needs of the applicant.
3. Any college or university located in Missouri which offers a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, and wishes to have the scholarships provided pursuant to this section made available to eligible applicants for admittance to such college or university, must provide matching funds to match one dollar for every two dollars made available by the state pursuant to this section for students attending the college or university. Such matching funds shall not be taken from money made available to the college or university from state funds. The total scholarship available to any one student from state and from college and university sources pursuant to such match program shall be three thousand dollars per year.
4. A recipient shall be eligible for a renewed scholarship for a maximum of three additional years. Eligibility for renewed scholarships shall be based on criteria established by the colleges of education and the department of [elementary and secondary] higher education.
5. As used in this section the term "minority" includes Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and African Americans.
6. The scholarships provided in subsection 1 of this section shall be available to otherwise eligible students who are currently enrolled in a community college and make a commitment to pursue a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education and offered by a four-year college or university located in Missouri.
173.240. 1. There is hereby established within the department of higher education a "Minority and Underrepresented Environmental Literacy Program". The department of higher education, hereafter referred to as the department, may award scholarships to minority and underrepresented students to pursue environmentally related courses of study. The scholarships shall be administered by the department recruitment and retention program under the supervision of the minority environmental literacy advisory committee established under this section. Those ethnic groups which are most severely underrepresented, as determined by data gathered and maintained by the National Academy of Sciences, shall receive priority in annual selection.
2. For the purpose of increasing the number of minority and underrepresented students, as determined by the National Academy of Sciences, who are enrolled in environmentally related courses of study, there is hereby created a "Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Fund". Any unexpended balance in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund shall not be subject to biennial transfer under the provisions of section 33.080. All interest earned on funds in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund shall accrue to the fund.
3. The general assembly may appropriate funds to the department for the purpose of funding scholarships as authorized by this section. Such funds shall be from general revenue, special fees administered by the department, federal funding sources, gifts, or donations, provided that such funds may be used for this purpose. All sums received for this purpose shall be placed in the state treasury and credited to the recruitment and retention scholarship fund.
4. The department shall accept, receive and administer grants or other funds, gifts, or donations from the public and individuals, including the federal government, for the purpose of funding scholarships under this section. Such funds shall be deposited in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund.
5. The department shall promulgate rules to administer the scholarship program, which shall include qualifications, application forms, annual filing deadlines, and scholarship amounts. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2010, shall be invalid and void.
6. The scholarship program shall be directed toward students in the following areas of study:
(1) Engineering students pursuing an environmental course of study through undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil, chemical, mechanical, environmental, or biological engineering;
(2) Environmental sciences students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in geology, biology, wildlife management, planning, natural resources, or a closely related course of study;
(3) Chemistry students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of environmental chemistry; and
(4) Law enforcement students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental law enforcement.
7. There is hereby created a "Minority Environmental Literacy Advisory Committee", hereafter referred to as the committee, to be comprised of:
(1) The commissioner of higher education or the commissioner's designee, who will serve as chairperson of the committee;
(2) Three representatives of universities and colleges. The universities and colleges shall be selected by the department, with the approval of the director of the department of natural resources. The university and college representatives shall each be appointed by the affirmative action office of the respective institution;
(3) The director of the department of natural resources or the director's designee;
(4) Five at-large members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, who shall be high school teachers and college professors and who shall be selected to represent the various regions of the state;
(5) The state affirmative action officer.
8. The committee shall meet at least annually, at a time and place to be determined by the chairperson, to select students to receive scholarships from applications filed with the department retention and recruitment program. The members appointed by the governor shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses.
9. Colleges and universities described in this section shall include public community colleges.
[640.240. 1. There is hereby established within the division of environmental quality a "Minority and Underrepresented Environmental Literacy Program". The department of natural resources, hereafter referred to as the department, may award scholarships to minority and underrepresented students to pursue environmentally related courses of study. The scholarships shall be administered by the division of environmental quality recruitment and retention program under the supervision of the minority environmental literacy advisory committee established under this section. Those ethnic groups which are most severely underrepresented, as determined by data gathered and maintained by the National Academy of Sciences, shall receive priority in annual selection.
2. For the purpose of increasing the number of minority and underrepresented students, as determined by the National Academy of Sciences, who are enrolled in environmentally related courses of study, there is hereby created a "Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Fund". Any unexpended balance in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund shall not be subject to biennial transfer pursuant to the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo. All interest earned on funds in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund shall accrue to the fund.
3. The general assembly may appropriate funds to the department for the purpose of funding scholarships as authorized by this section. Such funds shall be from general revenue, special fees administered by the department, federal funding sources, gifts or donations, provided that such funds may be used for this purpose. All sums received for this purpose shall be placed in the state treasury and credited to the recruitment and retention scholarship fund.
4. The department shall accept, receive and administer grants or other funds, gifts or donations from the public and individuals, including the federal government, for the purpose of funding scholarships under this section. Such funds shall be deposited in the recruitment and retention scholarship fund.
5. The department shall promulgate rules to administer the scholarship program, which shall include qualifications, application forms, annual filing deadlines, and scholarship amounts.
6. The scholarship program shall be directed toward students in the following areas of study:
(1) Engineering students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil, chemical, mechanical, or agricultural engineering;
(2) Environmental sciences students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in geology, biology, wildlife management, planning, natural resources, or a closely related course of study;
(3) Chemistry students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of environmental chemistry; and
(4) Law enforcement students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental law enforcement.
7. There is hereby created a "Minority Environmental Literacy Advisory Committee", hereafter referred to as the committee, to be comprised of:
(1) The director of the department of natural resources or the director's designee, who will serve as chairperson of the committee;
(2) Three representatives of universities and colleges. The university and college representatives shall each be appointed by the affirmative action office of the respective institution;
(3) The commissioner of higher education or the commissioner's designee;
(4) Five at-large members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, who shall be high school teachers and college professors and who shall be selected to represent the various regions of the state;
(5) The state affirmative action officer.
8. The committee shall meet at least annually, at a time and place to be determined by the chairperson, to select students to receive scholarships from applications filed with the division of environmental quality retention and recruitment program. The members appointed by the governor shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses.
9. Colleges and universities described in this section shall include public community colleges.]
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