Senate Bill sb2698

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2698

    By Senator Lawson





    6-419F-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to postsecondary education;

  3         creating the Florida Public Community College

  4         and Career Center Working Student Assistance

  5         Program; providing legislative intent;

  6         providing eligibility criteria for student

  7         assistance grants; amending s. 1009.50, F.S.;

  8         providing additional elements to be considered

  9         in awards of grants to community college

10         students under the Florida Public Student

11         Assistance Grant Program; providing an

12         effective date.

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14         WHEREAS, the primary motive of federal student aid has

15  been to further the country's economic health and

16  competitiveness, and

17         WHEREAS, the investment made in grant aid would be

18  offset by the students' future contribution to the economic

19  development of the community, and

20         WHEREAS, unmet needs of students have forced a reliance

21  on loans, NOW, THEREFORE,

22  

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

24  

25         Section 1.  Florida Public Community College and Career

26  Center Working Student Assistance Program.--

27         (1)(a)  The Legislature recognizes the importance of

28  the role of financial aid in ensuring access to postsecondary

29  education and for student success. It is the intent of the

30  Legislature that every student enrolled in a public community

31  college have the resources necessary for graduation. The

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2698
    6-419F-07




 1  Legislature further recognizes that the financial consequence

 2  of repaying loans, on which graduates have placed high

 3  reliance, negatively influences these graduates' ability to

 4  provide positive reinforcement for the state's economy.

 5         (b)  It is the purpose of this act to promote

 6  successful student participation in the economic development

 7  of their communities and the state by:

 8         1.  Providing financial support that will enable

 9  working students to achieve their degrees and increase their

10  earning and spending potential.

11         2.  Offering grant assistance to working students to

12  minimize the use of loans for entry-level training. Student

13  loans are more appropriate for students who have already moved

14  beyond entry-level jobs and have the income that will allow

15  repayment of loans.

16         (c)  There is created the Florida Public Community

17  College and Career Center Working Student Assistance Program

18  to provide financial support for working students in this

19  state. This program will provide assistance to students whose

20  employment income makes them ineligible for federal and state

21  grant assistance and for whom their income is insufficient to

22  commit to long-term debt through any financial assistance

23  through federal or other loans.

24         (2)(a)  Student grants through the program may be made

25  to students who enroll in at least 6 semester hours, or the

26  equivalent, or 10 hours per week of adult vocational training

27  per term and who meet other requirements for student

28  eligibility provided in this section or by rule. The grants

29  shall be awarded annually for an amount of need determined by

30  the institution but may not exceed an amount specified in the

31  General Appropriations Act.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2698
    6-419F-07




 1         (b)  The primary purpose of this grant is to serve

 2  students who are not receiving state or federal grants.

 3  Therefore, a student applying for a grant under this section

 4  must also complete the application for federal financial aid,

 5  so that access to federal and state grants is the first avenue

 6  of support. However, for purposes of this grant, the

 7  institutional assessment of financial resources available to

 8  the student may consider issues beyond that identified in the

 9  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) calculations

10  to determine the unmet need of the student. Such issues

11  include, but are not limited to:

12         1.  The inability of family members to contribute to

13  the educational expenses of those under age 24 who must report

14  family income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid

15  (FAFSA) application.

16         2.  Independent or dependent students whose income and

17  expenses only qualify the student for loan programs, but for

18  whom loan debt will be an unreasonable burden.

19         (c)  Institutions shall prioritize awards to students

20  having the greatest need and may require students to meet

21  additional criteria for eligibility.

22         (3)  The Department of Education shall develop a method

23  to distribute funds to community colleges and career centers

24  and adopt rules necessary to administer this section, and

25  shall require annual reports of such colleges and centers.

26  Community college boards of trustees and school boards shall

27  adopt rules to administer this section locally.

28         Section 2.  Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of

29  section 1009.50, Florida Statutes, to read:

30         1009.50  Florida Public Student Assistance Grant

31  Program; eligibility for grants.--

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2698
    6-419F-07




 1         (2)

 2         (e)  For community college students, Pell Grant

 3  entitlements shall be considered in the award, but may not be

 4  required as a condition of award. The maximum expected family

 5  contribution established by the department for community

 6  colleges shall recognize that students at community colleges

 7  are working and supporting families and that the expected

 8  contribution to education cannot equal that at other

 9  institutions.

10         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

11  law.

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14                          SENATE SUMMARY

15    Creates a Florida Public Community College and Career
      Center Working Student Assistance Program to provide a
16    funding source for community college and adult vocational
      training students as an alternative to student loans.
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