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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 s. 1009.532, F.S.; requiring a student

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to complete a specified number of community service or

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internship hours in order to be eligible to renew a

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scholarship under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

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Program; allowing a student to restore eligibility if such

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hours are insufficient for renewal; providing an effective

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date.

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

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     Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.532, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1009.532  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;

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student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.--

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     (1)  To be eligible to renew a scholarship from any of the

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three types of scholarships under the Florida Bright Futures

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Scholarship Program, a student must:

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     (a)  Complete at least 12 semester credit hours or the

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equivalent in the last academic year in which the student earned

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a scholarship.

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     (b) Beginning with the 2010-2011 incoming freshman class of

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a postsecondary educational institution, complete at least 20

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hours of unpaid community service or an unpaid internship within

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the state as approved and administered by the Department of

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Education during the last academic year in which the student

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earned a scholarship. The student may choose to perform unpaid

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community service or complete an unpaid internship with any of

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the following entities, including, but not limited to:

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     1. A municipal or county government, the state government,

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or the Federal Government;

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     2. A not-for-profit organization; or

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     3. A service learning program.

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     (c)(b) Maintain the cumulative grade point average required

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by the scholarship program, except that:

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     1.  If a recipient's grades fall beneath the average

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required to renew a Florida Academic Scholarship, but are

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sufficient to renew a Florida Medallion Scholarship or a Florida

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Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, the Department of Education may

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grant a renewal from one of those other scholarship programs, if

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the student meets the renewal eligibility requirements;

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     2.  If, at any time during the eligibility period, a

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student's grades are insufficient to renew the scholarship, the

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student may restore eligibility by improving the grade point

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average to the required level. A student is eligible for such a

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restoration one time. The Legislature encourages education

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institutions to assist students to calculate whether or not it is

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possible to raise the grade point average during the summer term.

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If the institution determines that it is possible, the education

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institution may so inform the department, which may reserve the

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student's award if funds are available. The renewal, however,

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must not be granted until the student achieves the required

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cumulative grade point average. If the summer term is not

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sufficient to raise the grade point average to the required

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renewal level, the student's next opportunity for renewal is the

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fall semester of the following academic year; or

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     3. If, at any time during the eligibility period, a

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student's community service or internship hours are insufficient

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to renew the scholarship, the student may restore eligibility by

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completing the hours for which the student is deficient. A

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student is eligible for such a restoration one time. The student

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must inform the Department of Education that restoration is

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sought, and at such time the department may reserve the student's

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award if funds are available. The renewal, however, must not be

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granted until the student completes the required hours for which

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the student is deficient. If the summer term is not sufficient to

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complete the required hours for renewal, the student's next

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opportunity for renewal is the fall semester of the following

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academic year at which time the student must complete the hours

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required for restoration and the hours required for renewal; or

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     4.3. If a student is receiving a Florida Bright Futures

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Scholarship, is a servicemember of the Florida National Guard or

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United States Reserves while attending a postsecondary

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institution, is called to active duty or state active duty, as

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defined in s. 250.01, prior to completing his or her degree, and

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meets all other requirements for the scholarship, the student

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shall be eligible to continue the scholarship for 2 years after

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completing active duty or state active duty.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.