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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

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Program; amending ss. 1009.534, 1009.535, and 1009.536,

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F.S.; revising the amounts of the awards available to a

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student qualifying as a Florida Academic Scholar, a

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Florida Medallion Scholar, or a Florida Gold Seal

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Vocational Scholar; increasing the amounts available to a

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qualifying student who pursues a major in the field of

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science, technology, engineering, mathematics, education,

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or nursing or another health profession; decreasing the

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amounts available to a qualifying student who pursues a

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major in another field; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Subsections (2) and (4) of section 1009.534,

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Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

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     1009.534  Florida Academic Scholars award.--

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     (2)  A Florida Academic Scholar who is enrolled in a public

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postsecondary education institution is eligible for an award

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equal to the amount required to pay 80 percent of tuition and,

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fees, and $475 $600 for college-related expenses annually, or, if

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the student is pursuing a major in the field of science,

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technology, engineering, mathematics, education, or nursing or

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another health profession, he or she is eligible for an award

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equal to the amount required to pay 110 percent of tuition and

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fees and $660 for college-related expenses annually. A student

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who is enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education

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institution is eligible for an award equal to the amount that

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would be required to pay 80 percent of for the average tuition

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and fees of a public postsecondary education institution at the

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comparable level, plus $475 for college-related expenses

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annually, or, if the student is pursuing a major in the field of

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science, technology, engineering, mathematics, education, or

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nursing or another health profession, he or she is eligible for

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an award equal to the amount required to pay 110 percent of the

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average tuition and fees of a public postsecondary education

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institution at the comparable level plus $660 for college-related

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expenses annually the annual $600.

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     (4)  In each school district, the Florida Academic Scholar

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who has with the highest academic ranking shall receive an

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additional award of $1,200 $1,500 for college-related expenses,

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or, if the student is pursuing a major in the field of science,

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technology, engineering, mathematics, education, or nursing or

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another health profession, he or she shall receive an additional

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award of $1,650 for college-related expenses. This award must be

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funded from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

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     Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 1009.535, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1009.535  Florida Medallion Scholars award.--

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     (2)  A Florida Medallion Scholar is eligible for an award

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equal to the amount required to pay 55 75 percent of tuition and

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fees if the student is enrolled in a state university or a

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baccalaureate degree program authorized pursuant to s. 1007.33,

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or, if while so enrolled the student is pursuing a major in the

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field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics,

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education, or nursing or another health profession, he or she is

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eligible for an award equal to the amount required to pay 85

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percent of tuition and fees. A Florida Medallion Scholar is

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eligible for an award equal to the amount required to pay 80 100

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percent of tuition and fees for college credit courses leading to

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an associate degree if the student is enrolled in a community

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college, or, if while so enrolled the student is pursuing a major

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in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics,

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education, or nursing or another health profession, he or she is

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eligible for an award equal to the amount required to pay 110

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percent of tuition and fees for college credit courses leading to

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an associate degree. A student who is enrolled in a nonpublic

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postsecondary education institution is eligible for an award

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equal to the amount that would be required to pay 55 75 percent

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of the tuition and fees of a public postsecondary education

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institution at the comparable level, or, if the student is

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pursuing a major in the field of science, technology,

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engineering, mathematics, education, or nursing or another health

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profession, he or she is eligible for an award equal to the

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amount that would be required to pay 85 percent of the tuition

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and fees of a public postsecondary education institution at the

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comparable level.

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     Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 1009.536, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1009.536  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.--The

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within the

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Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and

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reward academic achievement and career preparation by high school

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students who wish to continue their education.

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     (2)  A Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar is eligible for

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an award equal to the amount required to pay 55 75 percent of

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tuition and fees, if the student is enrolled in a public

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postsecondary education institution, or, if while so enrolled the

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student is pursuing a major in the field of science, technology,

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engineering, mathematics, education, or nursing or another health

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profession, he or she is eligible for an award equal to the

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amount required to pay 85 percent of tuition and fees. A student

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who is enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education

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institution is eligible for an award equal to the amount that

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would be required to pay 55 75 percent of the tuition and

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mandatory fees of a public postsecondary education institution at

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the comparable level, or, if the student is pursuing a major in

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the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics,

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education, or nursing or another health profession, he or she is

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eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be required

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to pay 85 percent of the tuition and mandatory fees of a public

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postsecondary education institution at the comparable level.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.