HB 0031 2003
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2         An act relating to student financial assistance;
3   prohibiting state funds from being used to provide
4   financial assistance to certain postsecondary education
5   students who are citizens of specified countries;
6   requiring the amount of funds used for such purpose in
7   fiscal year 2001-2002 to be allocated annually to the
8   Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program; providing an
9   effective date.
10         
11         Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12         
13         Section 1.Notwithstanding any other provision of law to
14   the contrary, no funds from general revenue, the lottery, or
15   financial aid fee revenues shall be used to provide student
16   financial assistance in the form of scholarships, fellowships,
17   grants, loans, tuition or fee waivers, or other financial
18   assistance to any nonresident alien student who is enrolled in a
19   Florida public postsecondary educational institution and who is
20   a citizen of any country that is identified by the United States
21   Department of State as terrorist or supporting terrorism. A
22   student’s country of citizenship shall be determined at the time
23   of a student’s enrollment. A nonresident alien student who has
24   been determined ineligible pursuant to the provisions of this
25   section shall remain ineligible for such assistance while
26   enrolled in a Florida public postsecondary educational
27   institution. However, if a student’s country of citizenship is
28   removed from the United States Department of State list of
29   identified countries, such student shall become eligible for
30   student financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of this
31   section.
32         Section 2.The amount of state-funded student financial
33   assistance provided by Florida public postsecondary educational
34   institutions to students specified in section 1 of this act
35   during fiscal year 2001-2002 shall be allocated annually for
36   fiscal year 2003-2004 and each subsequent fiscal year to the
37   Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Such funds shall not
38   be used to replace current-level funding for the Florida Bright
39   Futures Scholarship Program, but shall be supplemental funds.
40         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
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