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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, GREENLEAF, WONDERLING, ORIE, EARLL, ERICKSON, ALLOWAY, BROWNE, RAFFERTY, SMUCKER, BOSCOLA, MUSTO, FONTANA, O'PAKE, WOZNIAK, KASUNIC, WAUGH, LOGAN, WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, STOUT, HUGHES, FERLO AND D. WHITE, FEBRUARY 19, 2009 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 19, 2009 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of June 23, 1999 (P.L.159, No.22), entitled "An |
2 | act providing for scholarships for persons entering into the |
3 | field of science and technology," further providing for |
4 | definitions and for scholarships. |
5 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
6 | hereby enacts as follows: |
7 | Section 1. Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the act of June 23, |
8 | 1999 (P.L.159, No.22), known as the New Economy Technology |
9 | Scholarship Act, amended June 22, 2000 (P.L.383, No.51), are |
10 | amended to read: |
11 | Section 3. Definitions. |
12 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
13 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
14 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
15 | "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance |
16 | Agency (PHEAA). |
17 | "Approved course of study." A program or curriculum offered |
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1 | by a postsecondary educational institution that provides |
2 | instruction in science, technology and related fields and has |
3 | been approved by the Department of Education in consultation |
4 | with the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board. |
5 | "Approved educational institution." A postsecondary |
6 | educational institution located in this Commonwealth that is |
7 | authorized to provide approved courses of study and grant |
8 | degrees and has been approved by the Pennsylvania Higher |
9 | Education Assistance Agency as an institution in which students |
10 | may enroll to participate in the New Economy Technology |
11 | Scholarship Program. |
12 | "Department." The Department of Education of the |
13 | Commonwealth. |
14 | Domicile." The state where an individual intends to |
15 | permanently or indefinitely reside and does actually reside. |
16 | ["Incumbent worker." A person who has been a resident of |
17 | this Commonwealth for one year and who has been employed full |
18 | time in this Commonwealth for a period of one year while |
19 | pursuing an associate degree or its equivalent.] |
20 | "Program." The New Economy Technology Scholarship Program |
21 | established under section 4. |
22 | "Student." An individual domiciled in this Commonwealth who |
23 | attends [or is about to attend a secondary school or] a |
24 | postsecondary educational institution located in this |
25 | Commonwealth. |
26 | "Work requirement." Postgraduate, full-time employment [with |
27 | an employer located] in this Commonwealth in an occupation |
28 | related to an approved course of study required under section 4. |
29 | The term does not include a paid student internship, graduate |
30 | assistantship, a paid fellowship, volunteer service or |
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1 | employment before graduation. |
2 | Section 4. New Economy Technology Scholarship Program. |
3 | (a) Establishment of program.--There is hereby established |
4 | the New Economy Technology Scholarship Program within the |
5 | agency, to consist of the SciTech Scholarship and the Technology |
6 | Scholarship. |
7 | (b) Issuance of grants.--The agency may provide scholarship |
8 | grants to an eligible student [who is a resident of this |
9 | Commonwealth] upon certification from an approved educational |
10 | institution that the student is enrolled in an approved course |
11 | of study. Scholarship grants shall only be for the amount set |
12 | forth in sections 5(a) and 6(a). |
13 | (c) The department, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania |
14 | Workforce Investment Board, shall establish a list of approved |
15 | courses of study for the program. |
16 | (d) Other funding.--Prior to making a grant under this act, |
17 | the agency shall first apply Federal Pell Grant and State grants |
18 | available to educational costs, as determined by the agency, |
19 | related to an undergraduate program prior to determining the |
20 | amount of the scholarship grant. |
21 | (e) Eligibility.--To receive a scholarship grant under this |
22 | section, a student must meet all of the following requirements: |
23 | (1) Graduation from high school or earning a general |
24 | educational development (GED) diploma or the equivalent |
25 | thereof. |
26 | (2) Maintenance of domicile in Pennsylvania during the |
27 | term of the scholarship grants. |
28 | (3) Compliance with any conditions placed on the |
29 | scholarship grant by the agency or by the department in |
30 | consultation with the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment |
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1 | Board. |
2 | (4) Maintenance of [a] an annual cumulative grade point |
3 | average of [3.0] 2.75 or higher, on a scale of 4.0, or its |
4 | equivalent as verified by the educational institution, for |
5 | continued eligibility. |
6 | (5) Entering into a written agreement with the agency |
7 | to: |
8 | (i) Satisfy all degree, diploma or certificate |
9 | requirements and other requirements under this act. |
10 | (ii) Commence [employment] the work requirement in |
11 | this Commonwealth within one year after completion of an |
12 | approved bachelor's or associate's degree or certificate |
13 | program for a period of one year for each academic year |
14 | the student received a scholarship grant under this act |
15 | unless the agency determines that there are extenuating |
16 | circumstances. |
17 | (iii) Reimburse the Commonwealth all amounts |
18 | received under this act and interest thereon, as |
19 | determined by the agency, if the student fails to comply |
20 | with subparagraphs (i) and (ii). |
21 | (f) Application.--A student shall apply to the agency for a |
22 | scholarship grant as prescribed by the agency, to include the |
23 | provision of all information and documentation required by the |
24 | agency. The application of a student under 18 years of age shall |
25 | include the signature of a parent or guardian. The application |
26 | shall include a [verified] statement of cumulative grade point |
27 | average from the appropriate educational institution as required |
28 | in this act. |
29 | (g) Work requirement.--The work requirement under subsection |
30 | (e)(5)(ii) shall begin after the receipt of a bachelor's or an |
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1 | associate's degree or another appropriate certificate from an |
2 | approved educational institution. |
3 | (h) Termination.--If a student terminates enrollment in the |
4 | approved educational institution during the academic year or |
5 | prior to completion of the approved course of study, the |
6 | approved education institution shall notify the agency in |
7 | writing and shall return all unused portions of the scholarship |
8 | grant. Returned amounts shall be used to fund other scholarship |
9 | grants under this act. |
10 | (i) Transfer.--A scholarship under this act is only |
11 | transferrable to another approved educational institution if |
12 | approved by the agency. |
13 | (j) Limitation.--Grants awarded under the program shall be |
14 | limited to funds appropriated for that purpose. First priority |
15 | for awarding grants shall be given to renewal applicants. |
16 | Thereafter, grants shall be awarded on a first-come, first- |
17 | served basis. |
18 | (k) Exception.--The agency shall postpone the work |
19 | requirement under subsection (g) for extenuating circumstances |
20 | or because of the student's enrollment on a full-time basis in a |
21 | graduate degree program or, in the case of a technology |
22 | recipient, full-time enrollment in a baccalaureate degree |
23 | program within one year of [the receipt of a bachelor's degree |
24 | from an approved educational institution.] successful completion |
25 | of the program for which scholarship funds were awarded. The |
26 | agency shall require documentation of the person's continual |
27 | status as a full-time student as defined by the agency. The work |
28 | requirement under subsection (e)(5)(ii) shall begin within one |
29 | year after termination of enrollment on a full-time basis in [a |
30 | graduate] such a degree program. |
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1 | Section 5. SciTech Scholarships. |
2 | (a) Amount of grants.--The agency shall award a SciTech |
3 | Scholarship in the amount of [$3,000] $4,000 per academic year |
4 | or a lesser amount following application of Federal and State |
5 | grants under section 4(d) to a student enrolled full time in an |
6 | approved educational institution pursuing a bachelor's degree |
7 | program or its equivalent in an approved course of study. The |
8 | student must take at least 12 semester hours per semester, or |
9 | its equivalent, in an approved course of study. The grant shall |
10 | be used for educational costs related to the undergraduate |
11 | program as determined by the agency. |
12 | (b) Term of grant.--[A grant shall be awarded beginning no |
13 | earlier than the second academic year of enrollment in an |
14 | approved educational institution in a bachelor's degree program |
15 | or its equivalent in an approved course of study.] The grant |
16 | shall be for a maximum of [three] four academic years or for up |
17 | to [four] five academic years if the student is enrolled in an |
18 | approved course of study that according to the agency requires |
19 | five academic years to complete. In order to qualify for |
20 | renewals beyond [three] four years, the student must be in |
21 | compliance with the requirements of section 4(e) and the agency |
22 | must determine that the student is making satisfactory progress |
23 | toward completing a degree. |
24 | (c) Internship or work experience.--A student who accepts a |
25 | grant under this section must complete or must have completed a |
26 | college-approved or university-approved internship or work |
27 | experience related to the student's approved course of study |
28 | with an employer located in this Commonwealth prior to receiving |
29 | a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. The student must comply |
30 | with any conditions placed upon the internship by the agency or |
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1 | by the department in consultation with the Pennsylvania |
2 | Workforce Investment Board. Proof of completion of the |
3 | internship or work experience requirements must be submitted by |
4 | the educational institution to the agency prior to graduation |
5 | unless otherwise authorized by the agency. |
6 | [(d) Grades.--At the time of application, an applicant for a |
7 | SciTech Scholarship must have a cumulative grade point average |
8 | of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 or its equivalent. The agency |
9 | shall annually verify a program participant's maintenance of the |
10 | required grade point average.] |
11 | Section 6. Technology Scholarship. |
12 | (a) Amounts of grants.-- |
13 | (1) The agency shall award a Technology Scholarship in |
14 | the amount of [$1,000] $2,000 per academic year or a lesser |
15 | amount following application of Federal or State grants under |
16 | section 4(d) to a student enrolled full time in an approved |
17 | educational institution pursuing [an associate's degree in] |
18 | an approved course of study [or in a private licensed school |
19 | that has an academic program approved by the agency.] less |
20 | than four years in length. The grant shall be used for |
21 | educational costs related to the program as determined by the |
22 | agency. |
23 | (2) A student who is enrolled part time [or is an |
24 | incumbent worker pursuing an associate's degree in an |
25 | approved educational institution or other specialized program |
26 | approved by the agency is eligible for a grant of 20% of |
27 | tuition and mandatory fees.] is eligible for a maximum award |
28 | equivalent to 50% of a full-time award. |
29 | (b) Term of grant.--The grant awarded under subsection (a) |
30 | shall be for a maximum of two academic years or for up to three |
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1 | academic years if the student is enrolled in an approved course |
2 | of study that according to the agency requires three academic |
3 | years to complete. In order to qualify for a grant three times, |
4 | the student must be in compliance with section [4(d)] 4(e), and |
5 | the institution must determine that the student is making |
6 | satisfactory progress toward completing an associate's degree or |
7 | the requirements of the certificate program. |
8 | [(c) Exception.--The agency may waive the one-year |
9 | employment requirement for an incumbent worker for extenuating |
10 | circumstances related to the student's employment within the |
11 | last year.] |
12 | (d) Grades.--The agency shall annually verify a program |
13 | participant's maintenance of the required grade point average. |
14 | Section 2. Section 7 of the act is amended by adding a |
15 | subsection to read: |
16 | Section 7. Eligibility. |
17 | * * * |
18 | (d) Default.--The agency may deny a scholarship under this |
19 | act to a student who is in default on any educational financial |
20 | aid obligation. |
21 | Section 3. Section 8 of the act, amended June 22, 2000 (P.L. |
22 | 383, No.51), is amended to read: |
23 | Section 8. Administration. |
24 | (a) Verification.--The agency shall monitor and verify a |
25 | student's fulfillment of all internship and work requirements |
26 | under this act. |
27 | (b) Enforcement.--The agency shall enforce repayment of all |
28 | scholarship grants for a student who does not comply with the |
29 | provisions of this act, to include use of all lawful collection |
30 | procedures and the use of private collection agencies. |
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1 | (c) Tax.--Scholarship grants received by a student from the |
2 | program shall not be considered taxable income for purposes of |
3 | Article III of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as |
4 | the Tax Reform Code of 1971. |
5 | (d) Financial assistance.--Scholarship grants received by a |
6 | student from the program shall not be considered financial |
7 | assistance or appropriations to the approved educational |
8 | institution. |
9 | (e) Customized job training.--No funds under this act shall |
10 | be granted to a person enrolled in a customized job training |
11 | partnership program or continuing education course from a |
12 | postsecondary educational institution for which an employer is |
13 | providing over 50% of the financial support, directly or |
14 | indirectly. |
15 | (f) Appeals.--The provisions of this act shall be subject to |
16 | 22 Pa. Code Ch. 121 (relating to student financial aid)[.] and 1 |
17 | Pa. Code Pt. II (relating to general rules of administrative |
18 | practice and procedure). |
19 | (g) Regulations.--The agency shall adopt regulations and |
20 | procedures necessary to carry out the purposes of this act. |
21 | Section 4. The amendment of the act relating to the increase |
22 | in award amounts shall apply to the 2009-2010 academic year, |
23 | which commences with the Fall 2009 period. The remaining |
24 | provisions shall apply to the 2010-2011 academic year, which |
25 | commences with the Fall 2010 period of enrollment. |
26 | Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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