HB 1067

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to Bright Futures Scholarships; amending
3s. 1009.53, F.S.; authorizing a student to use an award
4from the Bright Futures Scholarship Program for enrollment
5in a summer term; amending s. 1009.532, F.S.; authorizing
6the Department of Education to reserve a student's award
7if it is possible for the student to raise his or her
8grade point average during the summer term; providing an
9effective date.
10
11Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13     Section 1.  Subsection (9) of section 1009.53, Florida
14Statutes, is amended to read:
15     1009.53  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.--
16     (9)  A student may use an award for enrollment in a summer
17term enrollment if funds are available.
18     Section 2.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
191009.532, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
20     1009.532  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
21student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.--
22     (1)  To be eligible to renew a scholarship from any of the
23three types of scholarships under the Florida Bright Futures
24Scholarship Program, a student must:
25     (b)  Maintain the cumulative grade point average required
26by the scholarship program, except that:
27     1.  If a recipient's grades fall beneath the average
28required to renew a Florida Academic Scholarship, but are
29sufficient to renew a Florida Medallion Scholarship or a Florida
30Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, the Department of Education
31may grant a renewal from one of those other scholarship
32programs, if the student meets the renewal eligibility
33requirements;
34     2.  If, at any time during the eligibility period, a
35student's grades are insufficient to renew the scholarship, the
36student may restore eligibility by improving the grade point
37average to the required level. A student is eligible for such a
38restoration one time. The Legislature encourages education
39institutions to assist students to calculate whether or not it
40is possible to raise the grade point average during the summer
41term. If the institution determines that it is possible, the
42education institution may so inform the department, which may
43reserve the student's award if funds are available. The renewal,
44however, must not be granted until the student achieves the
45required cumulative grade point average. If the summer term is
46not sufficient to raise the grade point average to the required
47renewal level, the student's next opportunity for renewal is the
48fall semester of the following academic year; or
49     3.  If a student is receiving a Florida Bright Futures
50Scholarship, is a servicemember of the Florida National Guard or
51United States Reserves while attending a postsecondary
52institution, is called to active duty or state active duty, as
53defined in s. 250.01, prior to completing his or her degree, and
54meets all other requirements for the scholarship, the student
55shall be eligible to continue the scholarship for 2 years after
56completing active duty or state active duty.
57     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.