Florida Senate - 2015 SB 472
By Senator Detert
28-00702-15 2015472__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to tuition and fee exemptions;
3 amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; exempting certain students
4 who were adopted from the Department of Children and
5 Families or who are or were in the custody of the
6 department under certain circumstances from paying
7 tuition and fees at workforce education programs,
8 Florida College System institutions, and state
9 universities; requiring Florida College System
10 institutions and state universities to adopt certain
11 rules regarding the exemptions; reenacting ss.
12 1001.64(10) and 1011.80(5)(c), F.S., to incorporate
13 the amendment made to s. 1009.25, F.S., in references
14 thereto; providing an effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to
19 read:
20 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
21 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
22 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
23 provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
24 institution, or state university:
25 (a) A student enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
26 admission program pursuant to s. 1007.271.
27 (b) A student enrolled in an approved apprenticeship
28 program, as defined in s. 446.021.
29 (c) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
30 18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
31 Families or who, after spending at least 6 months in the custody
32 of the department after reaching 16 years of age, was placed in
33 a guardianship by the court. Such exemption includes fees
34 associated with enrollment in applied academics for adult
35 education instruction. The exemption remains valid until the
36 student reaches 28 years of age.
37 (d) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
38 18 years of age in the custody of a relative or nonrelative
39 under s. 39.5085 or who was adopted from the Department of
40 Children and Families after May 5, 1997. The Such exemption
41 includes fees associated with enrollment in applied academics
42 for adult education instruction. The exemption remains valid
43 until the student reaches 28 years of age.
44 (e) A student who was adopted from the Department of
45 Children and Families and has not reached 28 years of age. The
46 exemption includes fees associated with enrollment in applied
47 academics for adult education instruction.
48 (f) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
49 18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
50 Families and who:
51 1. Is or was placed with a nonrelative pursuant to s.
52 39.402. The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28
53 years of age.
54 2. Is or was placed with a relative who is not or was not a
55 participant in the Relative Caregiver Program under s. 39.5085.
56 The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28 years
57 of age.
58 (g)(e) A student enrolled in an employment and training
59 program under the welfare transition program. The regional
60 workforce board shall pay the state university, Florida College
61 System institution, or school district for costs incurred for
62 welfare transition program participants.
63 (h)(f) A student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
64 nighttime residence or whose primary nighttime residence is a
65 public or private shelter designed to provide temporary
66 residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a
67 public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as,
68 a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
69 (i)(g) A student who is a proprietor, owner, or worker of a
70 company whose business has been at least 50 percent negatively
71 financially impacted by the buyout of property around Lake
72 Apopka by the State of Florida. Such student may receive a fee
73 exemption only if the student has not received compensation
74 because of the buyout, the student is designated a Florida
75 resident for tuition purposes, pursuant to s. 1009.21, and the
76 student has applied for and been denied financial aid, pursuant
77 to s. 1009.40, which would have provided, at a minimum, payment
78 of all student fees. The student is responsible for providing
79 evidence to the postsecondary education institution verifying
80 that the conditions of this paragraph have been met, including
81 supporting documentation provided by the Department of Revenue.
82 The student must be currently enrolled in, or begin coursework
83 within, a program area by fall semester 2000. The exemption is
84 valid for a period of 4 years after the date that the
85 postsecondary education institution confirms that the conditions
86 of this paragraph have been met.
87 (2) Each Florida College System institution may is
88 authorized to grant student fee exemptions from all fees adopted
89 by the State Board of Education and the Florida College System
90 institution board of trustees for up to 54 full-time equivalent
91 students or 1 percent of the institution’s total full-time
92 equivalent enrollment, whichever is greater, at each
93 institution.
94 (3) Each Florida College System institution and state
95 university shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to
96 administer this section. Such rules and regulations must:
97 (a) Prohibit a restriction on the number of credit hours
98 which a student who is exempt from paying tuition and fees may
99 earn.
100 (b) Specify that a student who is exempt from paying
101 tuition and fees may enroll in remedial courses and college
102 preparatory courses if necessary.
103 (c) Eliminate the limitations on the type of courses in
104 which a student who is exempt from paying tuition and fees may
105 enroll.
106 (d) Eliminate the number of times a student who is exempt
107 from paying tuition and fees may enroll in a course.
108 (e) Require the Department of Education, each Florida
109 College System institution, and each state university to include
110 on their websites information about the tuition and fees
111 exemption under this section.
112 (f) Require financial aid officers at Florida College
113 System institutions and state universities to contact each
114 student who indicates on a financial aid form that the student
115 may be eligible for the tuition and fees exemption under this
116 section and to provide advice and information regarding the
117 exemption.
118 Section 2. Subsection (10) of s. 1001.64 and paragraph (c)
119 of subsection (5) of s. 1011.80, Florida Statutes, are reenacted
120 for the purpose of incorporating the amendments made by this act
121 to s. 1009.25, Florida Statutes, in references thereto.
122 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.