| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to student financial assistance; amending |
| 3 | s. 1009.50, F.S.; revising provisions relating to student |
| 4 | eligibility for receipt of a Florida public student |
| 5 | assistance grant; providing an appropriation; providing an |
| 6 | effective date. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and subsection |
| 11 | (3) of section 1009.50, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 12 | 1009.50 Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program; |
| 13 | eligibility for grants.-- |
| 14 | (2)(a) State student assistance grants through the program |
| 15 | may be made only to degree-seeking students who enroll in at |
| 16 | least 3 6 semester hours, or the equivalent per term, and who |
| 17 | meet the general requirements for student eligibility as |
| 18 | provided in s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this |
| 19 | section. The grants shall be awarded annually for the amount of |
| 20 | demonstrated unmet need for the cost of education and may not |
| 21 | exceed an amount equal to the average prior academic year cost |
| 22 | of tuition, fees and other registration fees, and assigned books |
| 23 | and supplies for 40 30 credit hours at state universities or |
| 24 | such other amount as specified in the General Appropriations |
| 25 | Act, to any recipient. A demonstrated unmet need of less than |
| 26 | $100 $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a state |
| 27 | student assistance grant. Recipients of the grants must have |
| 28 | been accepted at a state university or community college |
| 29 | authorized by Florida law. A student is eligible for the award |
| 30 | for 125 110 percent of the number of credit hours required to |
| 31 | complete the program in which enrolled, except as otherwise |
| 32 | provided in s. 1009.40(3). |
| 33 | (3) Based on the unmet financial need of an eligible |
| 34 | applicant, the amount of a Florida public student assistance |
| 35 | grant must be between $100 $200 and the weighted average of the |
| 36 | cost of tuition, and other registration fees, and assigned books |
| 37 | and supplies for 40 30 credit hours at state universities per |
| 38 | academic year or the amount specified in the General |
| 39 | Appropriations Act. |
| 40 | Section 2. There is hereby appropriated from the General |
| 41 | Revenue Fund to the Department of Education for fiscal year |
| 42 | 2004-2005 the sum of $30 million for the Florida Public Student |
| 43 | Assistance Grant Program. |
| 44 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |