16105859D
SENATE BILL NO. 440
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Appropriations
on February 29, 2016)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Saslaw)
A BILL to amend and reenact §23-38.53:6 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program grants.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §23-38.53:6 of the Code of Virginia is amended and
reenacted as follows:
§23-38.53:6. Eligible students; criteria for awarding grants;
renewals.
A. Only students who (i) are domiciled residents of Virginia
as defined by §23-7.4 and who are graduates of a high school in the
Commonwealth with a cumulative secondary school grade point average of at least
2.5 on a scale of 4.0 or its equivalent, or (ii) are dependent
children of active duty military personnel residing outside the Commonwealth
pursuant to military orders and claiming Virginia on their State of Legal
Residence Certificate and satisfying the domicile requirements for such active
duty military personnel pursuant to subsection B of §23-7.4, and who are
graduates of a high school inside or outside the Commonwealth with a cumulative
secondary school grade point average of at least 2.5 on a scale of 4.0 or its
equivalent, and who (iii) (ii) (a) are accepted for
enrollment as dependent students in any public institution of higher education
in Virginia, and (iv) (b) are not receiving state
discretionary aid a Virginia Commonwealth Award, and (c) demonstrate
financial need as defined by the State Council of Higher Education for
Virginia shall be eligible to receive such awards grants.
B. The amount of the Guaranteed Assistance Program grant
awarded students shall be determined annually by the State Council of Higher
Education. Eligibility for such awards shall be determined according to the
Congressional methodology for determining financial need and eligibility for
financial aid. Each eligible student shall receive such a grant from the
institution's appropriations for undergraduate student financial assistance
before grants are awarded to students with equivalent remaining need.
C. Each eligible student shall receive a grant in an amount
greater than other grants awarded to students with equivalent remaining need.
D. Beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall
semester in 2017, each eligible student shall receive a grant in an amount
greater than the grant of each eligible student with equivalent remaining need
in the next-lowest class level.
E. The amount of each grant shall vary according to each
student's remaining need and the total of tuition, fees, and other necessary
charges, including books. The actual amount of each grant shall be determined
by the proportionate award schedule adopted by each institution.
C. F. All grants shall be awarded for one year,
but may be renewed annually for no more than three subsequent years of study
and students shall not receive subsequent grants until they have satisfied the
requirements to move to the next class level. Each recipient may receive a
maximum of one year of support per class level for a maximum total of four
years of support at a four-year public institution of higher education and a
maximum total of two years of support at a two-year public institution of
higher education, provided that in no case shall a recipient receive more than
a combined total of four years of support, if the recipient:
1. Maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average on a scale of
4.0 or its equivalent;
2. Demonstrates continued financial need;
3. Makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree,
earning not less than the minimum number of hours of credit required for
full-time standing in each academic period during enrollment at a public
institution of higher education in Virginia; and
4. Maintains continuous enrollment for not less than two
semesters or three quarters in each successive academic year, unless granted an
exception for cause by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
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