Senate Bill sb2264c1

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264

    By the Committee on Education; and Senator Atwater





    581-1819-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the payment of instructional

  3         costs for students; amending s. 1009.21, F.S.;

  4         defining the term "initial undergraduate

  5         enrollment" for purposes of determining a

  6         postsecondary student's residential status for

  7         tuition purposes; providing duties of

  8         institutions of higher education; providing

  9         conditions under which a nonresident

10         undergraduate may be reclassified as a resident

11         of this state; requiring that specified

12         evidence of the legal residence and dependent

13         status of an undergraduate be provided as a

14         prerequisite to classification as a resident

15         for tuition purposes; amending s. 1009.40,

16         F.S.; providing that certain students are

17         ineligible to receive more than one

18         state-funded tuition assistance grant;

19         providing an effective date.

20  

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

22  

23         Section 1.  Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section

24  1009.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

25         1009.21  Determination of resident status for tuition

26  purposes.--Students shall be classified as residents or

27  nonresidents for the purpose of assessing tuition in community

28  colleges and state universities.

29         (1)  As used in this section, the term:

30         (a)  The term "Dependent child" means any person,

31  whether or not living with his or her parent, who is eligible

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
    581-1819-05




 1  to be claimed by his or her parent as a dependent under the

 2  federal income tax code and who receives at least 51 percent

 3  of the true cost-of-living expenses from his or her parent.

 4         (b)  The term "Institution of higher education" means

 5  any public community college or state university.

 6         (c)  A "legal resident" or "resident" means is a person

 7  who has maintained his or her residence in this state for the

 8  preceding year, has purchased a home which is occupied by him

 9  or her as his or her residence, or has established a domicile

10  in this state pursuant to s. 222.17.

11         (d)  The term "Parent" means the natural or adoptive

12  parent or legal guardian of a dependent child.

13         (e)  A "resident for tuition purposes" means is a

14  person who qualifies as provided in subsection (2) for the

15  in-state tuition rate; a "nonresident for tuition purposes" is

16  a person who does not qualify for the in-state tuition rate.

17         (f)  "Initial undergraduate enrollment" means the first

18  day of class at an institution of higher education.

19         (2)(a)  To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes:

20         1.  A person or, if that person is a dependent child,

21  his or her parent or parents must have established legal

22  residence in this state and must have maintained legal

23  residence in this state for at least 12 months immediately

24  prior to his or her initial undergraduate enrollment at an

25  institution of higher education qualification.

26         2.  Every applicant for admission to an institution of

27  higher education shall be required to make a statement as to

28  his or her length of residence in the state and, further,

29  shall establish that his or her presence or, if the applicant

30  is a dependent child, the presence of his or her parent or

31  parents in the state currently is, and during the requisite

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
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 1  12-month qualifying period was, for the purpose of maintaining

 2  a bona fide domicile, rather than for the purpose of

 3  maintaining a mere temporary residence or abode incident to

 4  enrollment in an institution of higher education.

 5         3.  Each institution of higher education must determine

 6  whether an applicant who has been granted admission to that

 7  institution is a dependent child.

 8         4.  Each institution of higher education must

 9  affirmatively determine that an applicant who has been granted

10  admission to that institution as a Florida resident meets the

11  residency requirements of this section at the time of initial

12  undergraduate enrollment.

13         (b)  However, with respect to a dependent child living

14  with an adult relative other than the child's parent, such

15  child may qualify as a resident for tuition purposes if the

16  adult relative is a legal resident who has maintained legal

17  residence in this state for at least 12 months immediately

18  prior to the child's initial undergraduate enrollment at an

19  institution of higher education qualification, provided the

20  child has resided continuously with such relative for the 5

21  years immediately prior to the child's initial undergraduate

22  enrollment at an institution of higher education

23  qualification, during which time the adult relative has

24  exercised day-to-day care, supervision, and control of the

25  child.

26         (c)  The legal residence of a dependent child whose

27  parents are divorced, separated, or otherwise living apart

28  will be deemed to be this state if either parent is a legal

29  resident of this state, regardless of which parent is entitled

30  to claim, and does in fact claim, the minor as a dependent

31  pursuant to federal individual income tax provisions.

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
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 1         (d)  An undergraduate who is classified as a

 2  nonresident for tuition purposes may become eligible for

 3  reclassification as a resident for tuition purposes only if

 4  that individual, or his or her parent if that individual is a

 5  dependent child, supports permanent residency in this state by

 6  presenting documentation of nontemporary, full-time employment

 7  in this state and domicile in this state for 12 months while

 8  not enrolled at an institution of higher education.

 9         (3)  An individual may shall not be classified as a

10  resident for tuition purposes and, thus, is ineligible shall

11  not be eligible to receive the in-state tuition rate until he

12  or she has provided such evidence related to legal residence

13  and its duration or, if that individual is a dependent child,

14  documentation of his or her parent's legal residence and its

15  duration, as well as documentation confirming his or her

16  status as a dependent child, as may be required by law and by

17  officials of the institution of higher education from which he

18  or she seeks the in-state tuition rate.

19         Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.40, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (5) is added to that

21  section, to read:

22         1009.40  General requirements for student eligibility

23  for state financial aid.--

24         (1)(a)  The general requirements for eligibility of

25  students for state financial aid awards consist of the

26  following:

27         1.  Achievement of the academic requirements of and

28  acceptance at a state university or community college; a

29  nursing diploma school approved by the Florida Board of

30  Nursing; a Florida college, university, or community college

31  which is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
    581-1819-05




 1  State Board of Education; any Florida institution the credits

 2  of which are acceptable for transfer to state universities;

 3  any career center; or any private career institution

 4  accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the State

 5  Board of Education.

 6         2.  Residency in this state for no less than 1 year

 7  preceding the award of aid for a program established pursuant

 8  to s. 1009.50, s. 1009.51, s. 1009.52, s. 1009.53, s. 1009.54,

 9  s. 1009.56, s. 1009.57, s. 1009.60, s. 1009.62, s. 1009.63, s.

10  1009.68, s. 1009.72, s. 1009.73, s. 1009.76, s. 1009.77, or s.

11  1009.89, or s. 1009.891. Residency in this state must be for

12  purposes other than to obtain an education. Resident status

13  for purposes of receiving state financial aid awards or

14  tuition assistance grants shall be determined in the same

15  manner as resident status for tuition purposes pursuant to s.

16  1009.21 and rules of the State Board of Education implementing

17  s. 1009.21.

18         3.  Submission of certification attesting to the

19  accuracy, completeness, and correctness of information

20  provided to demonstrate a student's eligibility to receive

21  state financial aid awards. Falsification of such information

22  shall result in the denial of any pending application and

23  revocation of any award currently held to the extent that no

24  further payments shall be made. Additionally, students who

25  knowingly make false statements in order to receive state

26  financial aid awards shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the

27  second degree subject to the provisions of s. 837.06 and shall

28  be required to return all state financial aid awards

29  wrongfully obtained.

30         (b)1.  Eligibility for the renewal of undergraduate

31  financial aid awards shall be evaluated at the end of the

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
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 1  second semester or third quarter of each academic year.  As a

 2  condition for renewal, a student shall:

 3         a.  Have earned a minimum cumulative grade point

 4  average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale; and

 5         b.  Have earned, for full-time study, 12 credits per

 6  term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which aid

 7  was received.

 8         2.  A student who earns the minimum number of credits

 9  required for renewal, but who fails to meet the minimum 2.0

10  cumulative grade point average, may be granted a probationary

11  award for up to the equivalent of 1 academic year and shall be

12  required to earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a

13  4.0 scale by the end of the probationary period to be eligible

14  for subsequent renewal.  A student who receives a probationary

15  award and who fails to meet the conditions for renewal by the

16  end of his or her probationary period shall be ineligible to

17  receive additional awards for the equivalent of 1 academic

18  year following his or her probationary period. Each such

19  student may, however, reapply for assistance during a

20  subsequent application period and may be eligible for an award

21  if he or she has earned a cumulative grade point average of

22  2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

23         3.  A student who fails to earn the minimum number of

24  credits required for renewal shall lose his or her eligibility

25  for renewal for a period equivalent to 1 academic year.

26  However, the student may reapply during a subsequent

27  application period and may be eligible for an award if he or

28  she has earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0

29  on a 4.0 scale.

30         4.  Students who receive state student aid and

31  subsequently fail to meet state academic progress requirements

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2264
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 1  due to verifiable illness or other emergencies may be granted

 2  an exception from the academic requirements.  Such students

 3  shall make a written appeal to the institution.  The appeal

 4  shall include a description and verification of the

 5  circumstances. Verification of illness or other emergencies

 6  may include but not be limited to a physician's statement or

 7  written statement of a parent or college official.  The

 8  institution shall recommend exceptions with necessary

 9  documentation to the department.  The department may accept or

10  deny such recommendations for exception from the institution.

11         (5)  A student who is attending a nonpublic for-profit

12  or nonprofit institution is ineligible to receive more than

13  one state award that is a tuition assistance grant.

14         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

15  

16          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
17                         Senate Bill 2264

18                                 

19  The committee substitute eliminates provisions relating to the
    cost of exceptional student education for nonresident students
20  as these provisions are the subject of another bill.

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