The Florida Senate

1009.984  Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarship Program.--The Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarship Program is established to provide economically disadvantaged youth with prepaid postsecondary tuition scholarships. The direct-support organization established pursuant to s. 1009.983 shall administer the program with the assistance and cooperation of the Department of Education to:

(1)  Provide an incentive for economically disadvantaged youth to improve school attendance and academic performance in order to graduate and pursue a postsecondary education.

(2)  Obtain the commitment and involvement of private sector entities by virtue of funding matches with a ratio of 50 percent provided by the private sector and 50 percent provided by the state.

(3)  Purchase prepaid tuition scholarships for students certified by the Department of Education to the direct-support organization who meet minimum economic and school requirements and remain drug free and crime free.

(a)  For the purpose of this subsection, "drug free" means not being convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for, any violation of chapter 893 after being designated a recipient of a Florida prepaid tuition scholarship.

(b)  For the purpose of this subsection, "crime free" means not being convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for, any felony or first degree misdemeanor as defined in ss. 775.08 and 775.081 after being designated a recipient of a Florida prepaid tuition scholarship.

History.--s. 492, ch. 2002-387.