CS/HB 287

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to First Generation Matching Grant
3Programs; amending s. 1009.701, F.S., relating to the
4First Generation Matching Grant Program for state
5universities; clarifying provisions relating to
6eligibility for receipt of a grant; revising provisions
7relating to allocation and reallocation of funds;
8authorizing the award of grants for summer-term enrollment
9if funds are available; providing duties and reporting
10requirements of institutions participating in the program;
11providing for the use of balance of funds; creating ss.
121009.702 and 1009.703, F.S.; creating the First Generation
13Matching Grant Program for community colleges and the
14First Generation Matching Grant Program for colleges and
15universities eligible to participate in the William L.
16Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program; providing
17for financial aid to eligible undergraduate students who
18demonstrate financial need and whose parents have not
19earned a baccalaureate or higher degree; providing for the
20appropriation, allocation, and distribution of funds;
21providing eligibility criteria; providing an effective
22date.
23
24Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26     Section 1.  Section 1009.701, Florida Statutes, is amended
27to read:
28     1009.701  First Generation Matching Grant Program for state
29universities.--
30     (1)  The First Generation Matching Grant Program for state
31universities is created to enable each state university to
32provide donors with a matching grant incentive for contributions
33that will create grant-based student financial aid for
34undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need and whose
35parents, as defined in s. 1009.21(1), have not earned a
36baccalaureate or higher degree. In the case of any individual
37who regularly resided with and received support from only one
38parent, an individual whose only such parent did not complete a
39baccalaureate or higher degree would also be eligible.
40     (2)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the program
41shall be allocated by the Office of Student Financial Assistance
42to match private contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
43Contributions made to a state university and pledged for the
44purposes of this section are eligible for state matching funds
45appropriated for this program and are not eligible for any other
46state matching grant program. Pledged contributions are not
47eligible for matching prior to the actual collection of the
48total funds. The Office of Student Financial Assistance shall
49reserve a proportionate allocation of the total appropriated
50funds for each state university on the basis of full-time
51equivalent resident undergraduate enrollment. For the 2007-2008
52fiscal year, funds that remain unmatched as of December 1 shall
53be reallocated to state universities that have remaining
54unmatched private contributions for the program on the basis of
55full-time equivalent resident undergraduate enrollment.
56Beginning with the 2008-2009 fiscal year, funds that remain
57unmatched as of August 1 shall be reallocated to state
58universities that have remaining unmatched private contributions
59for the program on the basis of full-time equivalent resident
60undergraduate enrollment.
61     (3)  Payment of the state matching grant shall be
62transmitted to the president of each participating institution
63or his or her representative in advance of the official drop-add
64deadline as defined by the institution.
65     (4)  Each participating state university shall establish an
66application process, determine student eligibility for initial
67and renewal awards in conformance with subsection (5), identify
68the amount awarded to each recipient, and notify recipients of
69the amount of their awards. A university may award grants for
70summer-term enrollment if funds are available. Grants for
71summer-term enrollment may be used only at the institution
72awarding the grant. For the purpose of this subsection, "summer-
73term enrollment" means enrollment in the term at the end of the
74academic year which is the period of time from one fall term to
75the next in which a full-time student is expected to complete
76the equivalent of two semesters, two trimesters, or three
77quarters.
78     (5)  In order to be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to
79this section, an applicant must:
80     (a)  Be a resident for tuition purposes pursuant to s.
811009.21.
82     (b)  Be a first-generation college student. For the
83purposes of this section, a student is considered "first
84generation" if neither of the student's parents, as defined in
85s. 1009.21(1), earned a college degree at the baccalaureate
86level or higher or, in the case of any individual who regularly
87resided with and received support from only one parent, if that
88parent did not earn a baccalaureate or higher degree.
89     (c)  Be accepted at a state university.
90     (d)  Be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours per term
91as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.
92     (e)  Have demonstrated financial need by completing the
93Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
94     (f)  Meet additional eligibility requirements as
95established by the institution.
96     (6)  The award amount shall be based on the student's need
97assessment after any scholarship or grant aid, including, but
98not limited to, a Pell Grant or a Bright Futures Scholarship,
99has been applied. An award may not exceed the institution's
100estimated annual cost of attendance for the student to attend
101the institution.
102     (7)  The eligibility status of each student to receive a
103disbursement shall be determined by each institution as of the
104end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add
105period. An institution shall not be required to reevaluate a
106student's eligibility status after this date for purposes of
107changing eligibility determinations previously made.
108Participating institutions shall verify the continued
109eligibility of awarded students, provide for the disbursement of
110funds to students, and comply with the department's reporting
111requirements. Institutions shall certify to the department, each
112academic term within 30 days after the end of the regular
113registration period, the student's enrollment, continued
114eligibility, and the award amount. Any balance at the end of a
115fiscal year that has been disbursed to an institution for this
116program shall remain at the institution and shall be available
117only to provide grants for returning and new awardees. Each
118participating institution shall report to the Office of Student
119Financial Assistance by the date established by the office the
120eligible students to whom grant moneys are disbursed each
121academic term. Each institution shall certify to the Office of
122Student Financial Assistance the amount of funds disbursed to
123each student and shall remit to the office any undisbursed
124advances by June 1 of each year.
125     (8)  No later than November 15 July 1, each participating
126institution shall annually report to the Executive Office of the
127Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
128of Representatives, and the Board of Governors the eligibility
129requirements for recipients, the aggregate demographics of
130recipients, the retention and graduation rates of recipients,
131and a delineation of funds awarded to recipients in the prior
132academic year.
133     (9)  This section shall be implemented only as specifically
134funded.
135     Section 2.  Section 1009.702, Florida Statutes, is created
136to read:
137     1009.702  First Generation Matching Grant Program for
138community colleges.--
139     (1)  The First Generation Matching Grant Program for
140community colleges is created to enable each community college,
141as defined in s. 1000.21, to provide donors with a matching
142grant incentive for contributions that will create grant-based
143student financial aid for undergraduate students who demonstrate
144financial need and whose parents, as defined in s. 1009.21(1),
145have not earned a baccalaureate or higher degree. In the case of
146any individual who regularly resided with and received support
147from only one parent, an individual whose only such parent did
148not complete a baccalaureate or higher degree would also be
149eligible.
150     (2)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the program
151shall be allocated by the Office of Student Financial Assistance
152to match private contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
153Contributions made to a community college and pledged for the
154purposes of this section are eligible for state matching funds
155appropriated for this program and are not eligible for any other
156state matching grant program. Pledged contributions are not
157eligible for matching prior to the actual collection of the
158total funds. The Office of Student Financial Assistance shall
159reserve a proportionate allocation of the total appropriated
160funds for each community college on the basis of full-time
161equivalent resident enrollment in advanced and professional
162programs. For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, funds that remain
163unmatched as of December 1 shall be reallocated to community
164colleges that have remaining unmatched private contributions for
165the program on the basis of full-time equivalent resident
166enrollment in advanced and professional programs. Beginning with
167the 2008-2009 fiscal year, funds that remain unmatched as of
168August 1 shall be reallocated to community colleges that have
169remaining unmatched private contributions for the program on the
170basis of full-time equivalent resident enrollment in advanced
171and professional programs.
172     (3)  Payment of the state matching grant shall be
173transmitted to the president of each participating institution
174or his or her representative in advance of the official drop-add
175deadline as defined by the institution.
176     (4)  Each participating community college shall establish
177an application process, determine student eligibility for
178initial and renewal awards in conformance with subsection (5),
179identify the amount awarded to each recipient, and notify
180recipients of the amount of their awards. A community college
181may award grants for summer-term enrollment if funds are
182available. Grants for summer-term enrollment may be used only at
183the institution awarding the grant. For the purpose of this
184subsection, "summer-term enrollment" means enrollment in the
185term at the end of the academic year which is the period of time
186from one fall term to the next in which a full-time student is
187expected to complete the equivalent of two semesters, two
188trimesters, or three quarters.
189     (5)  In order to be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to
190this section, an applicant must:
191     (a)  Be a resident for tuition purposes pursuant to s.
1921009.21.
193     (b)  Be a first-generation college student. For the
194purposes of this section, a student is considered "first
195generation" if neither of the student's parents, as defined in
196s. 1009.21(1), earned a college degree at the baccalaureate
197level or higher or, in the case of any individual who regularly
198resided with and received support from only one parent, if that
199parent did not earn a baccalaureate or higher degree.
200     (c)  Be accepted at a community college as defined in s.
2011000.21.
202     (d)  Be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours per term
203as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.
204     (e)  Have demonstrated financial need by completing the
205Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
206     (f)  Meet additional eligibility requirements as
207established by the institution.
208     (6)  The award amount shall be based on the student's need
209assessment after any scholarship or grant aid, including, but
210not limited to, a Pell Grant or a Florida Bright Futures
211Scholarship, has been applied. An award may not exceed the
212institution's estimated annual cost of attendance for the
213student to attend the institution.
214     (7)  The eligibility status of each student to receive a
215disbursement shall be determined by each institution as of the
216end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add
217period. An institution shall not be required to reevaluate a
218student's eligibility status after this date for purposes of
219changing eligibility determinations previously made.
220Participating institutions shall verify the continued
221eligibility of awarded students, provide for the disbursement of
222funds to students, and comply with the department's reporting
223requirements. Institutions shall certify to the department, each
224academic term within 30 days after the end of the regular
225registration period, the student's enrollment, continued
226eligibility, and the award amount. Any balance at the end of a
227fiscal year that has been disbursed to an institution for this
228program shall remain at the institution and shall be available
229only to provide grants for returning and new awardees.
230     (8)  No later than November 15, each participating
231institution shall annually report to the Executive Office of the
232Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
233of Representatives, and the State Board of Education the
234eligibility requirements for recipients, the aggregate
235demographics of recipients, the retention and graduation rates
236of recipients, and a delineation of funds awarded to recipients
237in the prior academic year.
238     (9)  This section shall be implemented only as specifically
239funded.
240     Section 3.  Section 1009.703, Florida Statutes, is created
241to read:
242     1009.703  First Generation Matching Grant Program for
243colleges and universities eligible to participate in the William
244L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program.--
245     (1)  The First Generation Matching Grant Program for
246colleges and universities eligible to participate in the William
247L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program is created to
248enable each private nonprofit college or university eligible to
249participate in the William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access
250Grant Program to provide donors with a matching grant incentive
251for contributions that will create grant-based student financial
252aid for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need
253and whose parents, as defined in s. 1009.21(1), have not earned
254a baccalaureate or higher degree. In the case of any individual
255who regularly resided with and received support from only one
256parent, an individual whose only such parent did not complete a
257baccalaureate or higher degree would also be eligible.
258     (2)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the program
259shall be allocated by the Office of Student Financial Assistance
260to match private contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
261Contributions made to a qualified college or university and
262pledged for the purposes of this section are eligible for state
263matching funds appropriated for this program and are not
264eligible for any other state matching grant program. Pledged
265contributions are not eligible for matching prior to the actual
266collection of the total funds. The Office of Student Financial
267Assistance shall reserve a proportionate allocation of the total
268appropriated funds for each qualified college or university on
269the basis of full-time equivalent resident undergraduate
270enrollment. For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, funds that remain
271unmatched as of December 1 shall be reallocated to participating
272colleges and universities that have remaining unmatched private
273contributions for the program on the basis of full-time
274equivalent resident undergraduate enrollment. Beginning with the
2752008-2009 fiscal year, funds that remain unmatched as of August
2761 shall be reallocated to participating colleges and
277universities that have remaining unmatched private contributions
278for the program on the basis of full-time equivalent resident
279undergraduate enrollment.
280     (3)  Payment of the state matching grant shall be
281transmitted to the president of each participating institution
282or his or her representative in advance of the official drop-add
283deadline as defined by the institution.
284     (4)  Each participating college or university shall
285establish an application process, determine student eligibility
286for initial and renewal awards in conformance with subsection
287(5), identify the amount awarded to each recipient, and notify
288recipients of the amount of their awards. A participating
289college or university may award grants for summer-term
290enrollment if funds are available. Grants for summer-term
291enrollment may be used only at the institution awarding the
292grant. For the purpose of this subsection, "summer-term
293enrollment" means enrollment in the term at the end of the
294academic year which is the period of time from one fall term to
295the next in which a full-time student is expected to complete
296the equivalent of two semesters, two trimesters, or three
297quarters.
298     (5)  In order to be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to
299this section, an applicant must:
300     (a)  Meet the general requirements for student eligibility
301for state financial aid, including residency, as provided in s.
3021009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section.
303     (b)  Be a first-generation college student. For the
304purposes of this section, a student is considered "first
305generation" if neither of the student's parents, as defined in
306s. 1009.21(1), earned a college degree at the baccalaureate
307level or higher or, in the case of any individual who regularly
308resided with and received support from only one parent, if that
309parent did not earn a baccalaureate or higher degree.
310     (c)  Be accepted at a private nonprofit college or
311university eligible to participate in the William L. Boyd, IV,
312Florida Resident Access Grant Program.
313     (d)  Be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours per term
314as a degree-seeking undergraduate student.
315     (e)  Have demonstrated financial need by completing the
316Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
317     (f)  Meet additional eligibility requirements as
318established by the institution.
319     (6)  The award amount shall be based on the student's need
320assessment after any scholarship or grant aid, including, but
321not limited to, a Pell Grant or a Florida Bright Futures
322Scholarship, has been applied. An award may not exceed the
323institution's estimated annual cost of attendance for the
324student to attend the institution.
325     (7)  The eligibility status of each student to receive a
326disbursement shall be determined by each institution as of the
327end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add
328period. An institution shall not be required to reevaluate a
329student's eligibility status after this date for purposes of
330changing eligibility determinations previously made.
331Participating institutions shall verify the continued
332eligibility of awarded students, provide for the disbursement of
333funds to students, and comply with the department's reporting
334requirements. Institutions shall certify to the department, each
335academic term within 30 days after the end of the regular
336registration period, the student's enrollment, continued
337eligibility, and the award amount. Any balance at the end of a
338fiscal year that has been disbursed to an institution for this
339program shall remain at the institution and shall be available
340only to provide grants for returning and new awardees.
341     (8)  No later than November 15, each participating
342institution shall annually report to the Executive Office of the
343Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
344of Representatives, and the State Board of Education the
345eligibility requirements for recipients, the aggregate
346demographics of recipients, the retention and graduation rates
347of recipients, and a delineation of funds awarded to recipients
348in the prior academic year.
349     (9)  This section shall be implemented only as specifically
350funded.
351     Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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