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REFERENCE TITLE: public service scholarship fund |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
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HB 2616 |
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Introduced by Representatives Márquez: Gress
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AN ACT
amending Title 15, chapter 13, article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-1706; appropriating monies; relating to the commission for postsecondary education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 13, article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-1706, to read:
15-1706. Public service scholarship fund; definition
A. The public service scholarship fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations and any other monies. The arizona board of regents shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
B. The arizona board of regents shall:
1. Use the monies in the fund to provide scholarships to students who meet all of the following:
(a) Complete a term of service in a national service program that is designed to improve lives and foster civic engagement and that is supported by the federal government.
(b) Subsequently receive a federal postservice education award.
(c) Use the federal postservice education award to attend an educational institution or program in this state that is eligible under the terms of the federal postservice education award.
2. Establish a scholarship application process that requires each applicant to submit proof of meeting the requirements of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
3. Award scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis.
C. Each recipient's scholarship shall be in an amount that is equal to the recipient's federal postservice education award. A scholarship recipient:
1. Shall demonstrate to the arizona board of regents that the recipient is in good academic standing with the recipient's educational institution or program before spending any scholarship monies.
2. Shall use the scholarship monies within three years after completing service in a national service program that is described in subsection B, paragraph 1, subdivision (a) of this section. After three years, any unused scholarship monies revert to the public service scholarship fund.
3. May use the scholarship monies only for purposes that are allowed under the terms of the federal postservice education award and only at educational institutions or programs in this state that are eligible under the terms of the federal postservice education award.
4. May not spend the scholarship monies until the recipient has spent all of the recipient's federal postservice education award monies.
d. for the purposes of this section, "educational institution" means any of the following:
1. a university under the jurisdiction of the arizona board of regents.
2. a community college as defined in section 15-1401.
Sec. 2. Appropriation; public service scholarship fund
The sum of $_____ is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the public service scholarship fund established by section 15-1706, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, and is appropriated from the public service scholarship fund to the Arizona board of regents.