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REFERENCE TITLE: one Arizona fellowship program |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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HB 4106 |
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Introduced by Representatives Márquez: Gress
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AN ACT
amending title 15, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding chapter 20; appropriating monies; relating to education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding chapter 20, to read:
CHAPTER 20
ONE ARIZONA service FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
15-2501. Definitions
In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Education expense" means:
(a) Tuition or student fees at an institution of higher education that participates in the federal student assistance programs under title iv of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 United States Code section 1070 et seq.)
(b) Repayment of a student loan.
(c) other costs of attending an institution of higher education as determined by the institution of higher education for a degree or certificate program, including:
(i) books.
(ii) supplies.
(iii) transportation.
(iv) room and board.
2. "Eligible recipient" means an individual who both:
(a) is a resident of this state.
(b) successfully completes a fellowship under the program established by this chapter.
3. "Federal requirements for the AmeriCorps program" means:
(a) Relevant provisions of:
(i) the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 United States Code sections 12501 through 12681).
(ii) the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 United States Code sections 4950 through 5066).
(iii) the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (31 United States Code sections 6301 through 6308).
(iv) The ameriCorps program (45 code of federal regulations sections 1206.1-1 through 1206.1-11 and sections 2522.200 through 2522.250).
(b) any terms and conditions associated with the AmeriCorps program federal grant funding.
4. "Institution of higher education" means a public institution of higher education.
5. "Participant" means an individual to whom all of the following apply:
(a) is at least seventeen years of age.
(b) has received a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(c) Is matched by the program with a qualified partner organization to participate in a program fellowship.
6. "Program" means the One Arizona Service Fellowship Program established by this chapter.
7. "Qualified partner organization" means a nonprofit organization or government entity that does all of the following:
(a) agrees to supervise a participant for the total number of hours outlined in an agreement with the governor's office of youth, faith and family.
(b) Agrees to provide the governor's office of youth, faith and family with a matching stipend amount.
(c) provides a valuable service to the community, as determined by the governor's office of youth, faith and family.
8. "Supervise" means the act of overseeing the work of a participant, including some component of in-person interaction.
9. "Third-party administrator" means an entity that:
(a) enters into an agreement with the governor's office of youth, faith and family.
(b) is a nonprofit organization or a subsidiary or affiliate of an institution of higher education.
(c) has experience managing programs and monies.
(d) operates under the direction of the governor's office of youth, faith and family for the purposes of the program.
10. "Tuition award" means an amount of monies to be used for an education expense.
15-2502. One Arizona service fellowship program; administration; duties; powers; rulemaking
A. The One Arizona Service Fellowship Program is established to provide meaningful service opportunities to young adults in this state to:
1. Prepare young adults for additional educational, training and career opportunities.
2. address high priority needs within this state.
3. provide stipends to participants and tuition awards to eligible recipients pursuant to this chapter.
B. Subject to legislative appropriation, the governor's office of youth, faith and family shall administer the program as described in this chapter.
C. Except as otherwise provided in an agreement authorized by section 15-2506, paragraph 2, the governor's office of youth, faith and family:
1. shall create and maintain a list of high priority policy needs in this state for which program service opportunities can provide the most value to this state.
2. Shall receive applications from potential participants.
3. Shall match participants to qualified partner organizations for participation in the program.
4. Shall approve potential qualified partner organizations to participate in the program.
5. Shall prioritize the placement of participants with qualified partner organizations that address the high priority policy needs identified under paragraph 1 of this subsection.
6. shall create and maintain, or contract with a third party to create and maintain, an online portal that:
(a) provides information about the program, including required qualifications for participation, tuition awards and stipends.
(b) lists all service opportunities with qualified partner organizations that are available through the program.
(c) allows potential participants to apply for placement with qualified partner organizations.
7. Shall determine the metrics of success of the program, including metrics relating to whether an eligible recipient:
(i) matriculates at an institution of higher education after completing a One Arizona Service Fellowship.
(ii) Graduates from, or otherwise completes a program at, an institution of higher education.
8. Shall measure the success of the program according to the metrics determined under this Subsection.
9. Shall coordinate with institutions of higher education to:
(i) connect eligible recipients with additional educational, training, certification and apprenticeship opportunities.
(ii) Explore options to award eligible recipients with academic credit for completing a One Arizona Service Fellowship, in addition to stipends and tuition awards.
10. May solicit private donations to supplement the program, including to offset a matching amount that is required of a qualified partner organization as described in section 15-2503, Subsection C.
11. Shall ensure that the program complies with federal requirements for the AmeriCorps program administered by the governor's office of youth, faith and family.
D. The governor's office of youth, faith and family may make rules to implement this chapter.
15-2503. Agreements; participants; qualified partner organizations
A. Before a participant begins providing service through the program, the governor's office of youth, faith and family or third-party administrator shall enter into an agreement with the participant that outlines the mutual expectations of the program and the participant. The agreement shall detail the requirements of the participant, including:
1. the total number of hours of service required under the agreement.
2. the exact stipend amount promised to the participant in consideration of service as described in section 15-2504.
3. the exact tuition award amount promised to the participant on successful completion of a fellowship, as described in section 15-2505.
4. qualifications for and acceptable uses of the tuition award, as described in section 15-2505.
5. the circumstances under which the agreement may be amended, including for participant hardship or compelling personal circumstance.
B. Before a qualified partner organization accepts service from a participant, the governor's office of youth, faith and family or third-party administrator shall enter into an agreement with the qualified partner organization that outlines the mutual expectations of the program and qualified partner organization, including the exact amount of matching monies that the qualified partner organization must provide to the governor's office of youth, faith and family to contribute to a participant's stipend. A qualified partner organization shall agree to contribute at least $5 per hour to a participant's stipend.
C. The agreement described in Subsection A of this section may include a provision that the program is reducing the qualified partner organization's matching monies requirement due to the receipt of private donations as described in section 15-2504, subsection C, paragraph 2, subdivision (b).
15-2504. Stipends
A. The governor's office of youth, faith and family may issue, and a participant may receive, a stipend for participating in the program.
b. The governor's office of youth, faith and family or third-party administrator shall establish the exact stipend for a participant on a case-by-case basis in an agreement described in section 15-2503 based on:
1. available program monies.
2. any matching monies provided by either:
(a) the qualified partner organization with which the participant is paired.
(b) private donations to the program.
C. The governor's office of youth, faith and family or third-party administrator shall:
1. Contribute $5 per hour of the stipend, up to $8,500 for the term of the agreement, from state monies.
2. Supplement the remaining balance of a participant's exact stipend from nonstate monies, including:
(a) matching monies provided to the governor's office of youth, faith and family by a qualified partner organization.
(b) Private donations to the program.
3. Prioritize a participant's placement with a qualified partner organization based on the amount of matching monies that the qualified partner organization proposes to provide to the governor's office of youth, faith and family, with preference going to qualified partner organizations that offer to provide a larger stipend.
4. Disburse the stipend to a participant in installments at least every three months.
15-2505. Tuition awards
A. The governor's office of youth, faith and family shall:
1. Provide a tuition award to each eligible recipient on the successful completion of a fellowship.
2. Establish the exact tuition award for each eligible recipient on a case-by-case basis in an agreement described in section 15-2503 based on federal requirements for the AmeriCorps program, including:
(a) a maximum tuition award for one thousand seven hundred hours of service during a one-year period.
(b) a reduced tuition award for a reduced number of hours of service during a one-year period.
B. An eligible recipient may use a tuition award:
1. for any eligible education expense.
2. over a seven-year period beginning the day on which the eligible recipient receives the tuition award.
3. Subject to the requirements of subsection C of this section.
C. If the program uses state monies to supplement a tuition award:
1. the governor's office of youth, faith and family or third-party administrator shall detail that information in an agreement described in section 15-2503.
2. an eligible recipient may use the state-funded portion of the tuition award only after the eligible recipient has exhausted any scholarship or education grant monies or other financial aid.
15-2506. Governor's office of youth, faith and family; staff; third-party administrators
The governor's office of youth, faith and family:
1. shall provide staff to implement the program.
2. May enter into an agreement with one or more third-party administrators to administer and implement the program, including by fulfilling one or more of the responsibilities described in section 15-2503.
Sec. 2. Appropriation; governor's office of youth, faith and family; one Arizona fellowship service program
The sum of $_____________________ is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the governor's office of youth, faith and family to implement the one Arizona fellowship service program established by title 15, chapter 20, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.