Assigned to ED & APPROP AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE
Assigned to ED & APPROP AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
Purpose
An emergency measure that requires the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) and community college districts to provide tuition waiver scholarships to certain foster care persons and appropriates $755,500 from the state General Fund (GF) to ABOR to provide funding for the foster care tuition waiver.
Background
The Legislature created a five-year pilot program in 2013 that requires ABOR and each community college district to provide tuition waiver scholarships to any person who: 1) is or was in foster care at age 16; 2) is an Arizona resident; 3) is either a United States citizen or a lawfully present noncitizen; 4) has total personal assets under $10,000, excluding scholarships and grants; 5) is under 21 years old during the first scholarship award and is making satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate; 6) is accepted or enrolled into a state university or community college; 7) completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service annually; and 8) remains in good standing with the university or community college. To remain eligible for a scholarship, the person must demonstrate continuous progress towards a degree or certificate up to the age of 23.
The tuition waiver scholarships awarded are reduced by the amount of federal aid scholarships and public grants received, excluding grants received under the Education and Training Voucher Program. The pilot program is scheduled to sunset on July 1, 2018 (Laws 2013, Chapter 237).
H.B. 2482 appropriates $755,500 from the state GF in FY 2019 to ABOR for distribution to the universities to provide funding for the foster care tuition waiver.
Provisions
1. Requires ABOR and each community college district to provide a tuition waiver scholarship to a person who:
a) is an Arizona resident;
b) was or is in foster care in Arizona for at least six months;
c) was or is in foster care, or was adopted from foster care, at age 13 or older;
d) is under 26 years of age;
e) is either a United States citizen or a lawfully present noncitizen;
f) has total personal assets worth less than $10,000, excluding scholarships and grants;
g) is accepted into or enrolled in a state university or community college;
h) has submitted a federal student aid application before each year in which the person receives a tuition waiver scholarship; and
i) remains in good standing with the university or community college.
2. Appropriates $755,500 in FY 2019, from the state GF to ABOR, for distribution to the universities to provide funding for the foster care tuition waiver.
3. Allows a tuition waiver scholarship provided by a community college to be reduced by the amount of other federal or public aid the person receives through the community college, excluding grants received under the Arizona Education and Training Voucher Program.
4. Prohibits a tuition waiver scholarship provided by a university from being reduced by the amount of any other federal or public aid the person receives.
5. Requires ABOR to report on October 1 each year on the actual costs of the tuition waiver scholarships to the JLBC and the Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting.
6. Requires, beginning in FY 2020, the Legislature to appropriate an amount equal to the actual cost reported by ABOR for the previous fiscal year and allows, if the Legislature does not provide the funding, a tuition waiver scholarship provided by a university to be reduced by the amount of any other federal or public aid the person receives.
7. Declares it is the intent of the Legislature to annually provide appropriations to the universities that cover the full costs of all tuition waiver programs established by the Legislature.
8. Defines tuition as tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university or community college.
9. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted.
Amendments Adopted by the Education Committee
1. Appropriates $755,500 in FY 2019 from the state GF to ABOR for distribution to the universities to provide funding for the foster care tuition waiver.
2. Requires ABOR to report the actual cost of the tuition waiver scholarships and requires the Legislature to annually appropriate an amount equal to the actual cost reported beginning in FY 2020.
3. Allows a tuition waiver scholarship provided by a university to be reduced by the amount of other federal or public aid received if the Legislature does not provide the funding.
House Action Senate Action
ED 2/12/18 DP 10-0-0-1 ED 3/15/18 DPA 7-0-0
3rd Read 2/21/18 60-0-0 APPROP 3/20/18 DP 8-0-2
Prepared by Senate Research
March 26, 2018
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