House Bill 2045

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

        By Representative Henriquez






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Florida Resident Job

  3         Preparation Forgivable Loan program; creating

  4         s. 240.6052, F.S.; providing legislative

  5         intent; creating the Florida Resident Job

  6         Preparation Forgivable Loan program to make

  7         forgivable loans available to eligible students

  8         enrolled in associate degree programs at

  9         eligible independent colleges and universities;

10         providing eligibility requirements for

11         independent colleges and universities;

12         providing student eligibility requirements;

13         establishing a method to determine the amount

14         of a Florida Resident Job Preparation

15         Forgivable Loan; providing for the amount of

16         the loan to be reduced if the amount of all

17         scholarships and grants received exceeds the

18         amount charged to the student for tuition and

19         fees; limiting the numbers of semesters or

20         quarters a student may receive a Florida Job

21         Preparation Forgivable Loan; providing an

22         exception; requiring a student who receives a

23         Florida Job Preparation Forgivable Loan and

24         does not complete an associate degree within a

25         certain period of time to repay the amount of

26         the loan plus interest; providing for the

27         disbursement of funds; requiring the Department

28         of Education to include in its annual

29         legislative budget request an amount necessary

30         to implement the provisions of this section;

31         requiring funding to be included annually in

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

    716-114A-00






  1         the General Appropriations Act; requiring the

  2         State Board of Education to adopt rules;

  3         providing an effective date.

  4

  5  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  6         Section 1.  Section 240.6052, Florida Statutes, is

  7  created to read:

  8         240.6052  Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable

  9  Loan program.--

10         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that the economic

11  welfare of the state is heavily dependent upon the education

12  and employability of its citizenry.  The Legislature further

13  recognizes that the needs of the workforce stretch across a

14  variety of industries.  The Legislature finds that a

15  significant number of state residents choose to attend

16  nonpublic colleges and universities as a means of acquiring

17  the knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing

18  members of society.  The Legislature further finds that a

19  strong and viable system of nonpublic colleges reduces the tax

20  burden on the citizens of the state. Therefore, the

21  Legislature finds that a Resident Job Preparation Forgivable

22  Loan program which awards forgivable loans to state residents

23  for study in career-oriented programs at nonpublic colleges is

24  consistent with the goals of the state to increase the

25  education and skill levels of its citizenry, and to reduce the

26  tax burden on the citizens of the state.  Because the award of

27  a Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable Loan will not be

28  related to a student's financial need or other criteria upon

29  which financial aid programs are based, it is the intent of

30  the Legislature that the Florida Resident Job Preparation

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

    716-114A-00






  1  Forgivable Loan program not be considered a financial aid

  2  program, but rather a tuition assistance program.

  3         (2)  There is hereby created the Florida Resident Job

  4  Preparation Forgivable Loan program to be administered by the

  5  Department of Education.  The program shall make forgivable

  6  loans available to eligible students for undergraduate study

  7  at an eligible independent college or university.

  8         (3)  A Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable Loan

  9  may be used at an independent college or university that:

10         (a)  Is located in Florida.

11         (b)  Is accredited by a regional or national

12  accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department

13  of Education.

14         (c)  Is either licensed by the State Board of

15  Independent Colleges and Universities or exempt from licensure

16  pursuant to s. 246.085(1)(a).

17         (d)  Participates in the common course designation and

18  numbering system and had at least 10 percent of its courses

19  submitted to the system by December 31, 1999.  To remain

20  eligible, an independent college or university must have 50

21  percent of its courses submitted to the system by December 31,

22  2000, and 75 percent of its courses submitted to the system by

23  December 31 of the year preceding the fiscal year of the award

24  of the forgivable loan.

25         (e)  Is not eligible to participate in the William L.

26  Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program established by

27  s. 240.605.

28         (f)  Has a secular purpose, provided that the receipt

29  of state aid by students at the institution will not have the

30  primary effect of advancing or impeding religion, or result in

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

    716-114A-00






  1  excessive entanglement between the state and any religious

  2  sect.

  3         (4)  To be eligible to receive a Florida Resident Job

  4  Preparation Forgivable Loan, a student must:

  5         (a)  Meet the general requirements for student

  6  eligibility for state financial aid established by s. 240.404,

  7  including residency, except as otherwise provided by this

  8  section.

  9         (b)  Be enrolled as a full-time student in an associate

10  degree program at an eligible independent college or

11  university.

12         (c)  Not be enrolled in a program of study leading to a

13  degree in theology or divinity.

14         (d)  Be making satisfactory academic progress, as

15  defined by the college or university in which he or she is

16  enrolled.

17         (e)  Agree in writing to complete his or her associate

18  degree within the maximum timeframe determined by the United

19  States Department of Education for purposes of financial aid,

20  or to repay the loan amount plus interest, according to

21  provisions established by the Department of Education.

22         (5)(a)  The amount of a Florida Resident Job

23  Preparation Forgivable Loan awarded to a student shall be the

24  average cost to the state, per academic year, for the

25  full-time enrollment of a student in an institution within the

26  Florida Community College System, unless otherwise specified

27  in the General Appropriations Act.  If the combined amount of

28  a forgivable loan awarded according to this section and all

29  other scholarships and grants for tuition or fees awarded to a

30  student exceeds the amount charged to the student for tuition

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

    716-114A-00






  1  and fees, the Department of Education shall reduce the

  2  forgivable loan by an amount equal to such excess.

  3         (b)  No student shall receive a Florida Job Preparation

  4  Forgivable Loan for more than 6 semesters or 9 quarters,

  5  except as otherwise provided by s. 240.404(3).

  6         (c)  Any Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable

  7  Loan recipient who does not complete an associate degree

  8  within the maximum timeframe determined by the United States

  9  Department of Education for purposes of financial aid shall

10  repay to the Florida Department of Education, on a schedule to

11  be determined by the department, the entire amount of the

12  scholarship plus interest accruing from the date of the

13  scholarship payment.

14         (6)  The Department of Education shall disburse to the

15  college or university in which a student receiving a Florida

16  Resident Job Preparation Forgivable Loan is enrolled funds for

17  payment of that student's tuition and fees.  The department

18  may disburse a portion of such funds in advance of the

19  registration period.  Each institution receiving funds

20  pursuant to this subsection shall certify to the department

21  the amount of funds disbursed to each student and shall remit

22  to the department any undisbursed advances or refunds within

23  60 days after the end of regular registration.

24         (7)  The Department of Education shall include in its

25  annual legislative budget request an amount necessary to

26  implement the provisions of this section which shall be based

27  on the average cost to the state, per academic year, for the

28  full-time enrollment of a student in an institution within the

29  Florida Community College System, multiplied by the number of

30  students planned to participate in the program. Funding for

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 2045

    716-114A-00






  1  the Florida Job Preparation Forgivable Loan program shall be

  2  included annually in the General Appropriations Act.

  3         (8)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules

  4  necessary for the administration of the program, including

  5  rules that establish repayment schedules and applicable

  6  interest rates pursuant to ss. 240.451 and 240.465.

  7         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

  8

  9            *****************************************

10                          HOUSE SUMMARY

11
      Creates the Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable
12    Loan program to make forgivable loans available to
      eligible students enrolled in associate degree programs
13    at eligible independent colleges and universities.
      Provides eligibility requirements for independent
14    colleges and universities.  Provides student eligibility
      requirements. Establishes a method to determine the
15    amount of a Florida Resident Job Preparation Forgivable
      Loan.  Provides for the amount of the loan to be reduced
16    if the amount of all scholarships and grants received
      exceeds the amount charged to the student for tuition and
17    fees.  Limits the numbers of semesters or quarters a
      student may receive a Florida Job Preparation Forgivable
18    Loan.  Provides an exception.  Requires a student who
      receives a Florida Job Preparation Forgivable Loan and
19    does not complete an associate degree within a certain
      period of time to repay the amount of the loan plus
20    interest.  Provides for the disbursement of funds.
      Requires the Department of Education to include in its
21    annual legislative budget request an amount necessary to
      implement the provisions of this section.  Requires
22    funding to be included annually in the General
      Appropriations Act.  Requires the State Board of
23    Education to adopt rules.

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