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REFERENCE TITLE: higher education; 2024-2025 |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session 2024
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HB 2904 |
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Introduced by Representative Livingston (with permission of Committee on Rules)
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An Act
amending Laws 2023, chapter 140, section 6; appropriating monies; relating to higher education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Laws 2023, chapter 140, section 6 is amended to read:
Sec. 6. Spouses and dependents of law enforcement officers tuition scholarship fund; tuition scholarships; eligibility; rules; reporting requirements; delayed repeal; transfer of monies; definition
A. The spouses and dependents of law enforcement officers tuition scholarship fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The Arizona board of regents shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations. In fiscal years 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 and Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall use the monies in the fund to award tuition scholarships to any individual who meets both of the following requirements:
1. Enrolls in any of the following:
(a) A university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents.
(b) A community college as defined in section 15-1401, Arizona Revised Statutes.
(c) A career technical education program that is offered to adults or an associate degree program offered by a career technical education district pursuant to section 15-398, Arizona Revised Statutes.
(d) A private postsecondary educational institution in this state that is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 30, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.
2. Is either:
(a) The spouse of a law enforcement officer.
(b) Under twenty-seven years of age and a dependent of a law enforcement officer.
B. An individual who meets the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section may apply to the Arizona board of regents for a tuition scholarship from the fund in a manner prescribed by the Arizona board of regents. Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall award an eligible individual a tuition scholarship that is equal to the amount of tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university, community college or career technical education district in which the individual is enrolled, reduced by the amount of any federal aid scholarships or public grants and any other financial gifts, grants or aid received by that individual, except that if the individual is enrolled in a private postsecondary educational institution, the tuition scholarship may not exceed the remainder of the average in-state tuition and fees charged by universities under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents minus other gifts and aid awarded to that individual. The Arizona board of regents shall verify that the individual satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section before awarding a tuition scholarship. If the Arizona board of regents determines that an individual no longer satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section, the Arizona board of regents may not distribute additional monies from the fund to the individual until the individual submits documentation showing that the individual satisfies all requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section.
C. A tuition scholarship provided pursuant to this section shall be:
1. Limited to not more than four academic years or eight semesters.
2. Used only for a career technical education district program certificate or license, a private vocational program as defined in section 32-3001, Arizona Revised Statutes, an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.
3. Used only to pay tuition and mandatory fees at a career technical education district, a private postsecondary educational institution in this state that is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 30, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or a community college as defined in section 15-1401, Arizona Revised Statutes. If the applicant is not charged to attend a career technical education district program, the Arizona board of regents may not award the applicant a tuition scholarship under this section.
D. Tuition scholarships under this section shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If there are insufficient monies in the fund, the Arizona board of regents may not award a tuition scholarship to an eligible individual under this section.
E. The Arizona board of regents may rely on a copy of the law enforcement officer's commission card and a current employment verification letter from the law enforcement officer's employer to establish that an individual is a law enforcement officer for the purposes of this section.
F. The Arizona board of regents may adopt rules for the purposes of administering this section.
G. On or before March 1, 2024 and each year thereafter, the Arizona board of regents shall report to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting on all of the following:
1. The total number of students who received a tuition scholarship under this section by eligible postsecondary institution in the current academic year.
2. The total amounts awarded and average amounts awarded under this section by eligible postsecondary institution in the current academic year.
3. The total number of students who received a tuition scholarship under this section and who graduated or completed a program of study by eligible postsecondary institution.
4. Each law enforcement agency that employs a law enforcement officer whose spouse or dependent, or both, receives a tuition scholarship under this section.
H. From and after June 30, 2025, this section is repealed and all unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining in the spouses and dependents of law enforcement officers tuition scholarship fund established by this section are transferred to the state general fund.
H. I. For the purposes of this section, "law enforcement officer" means an individual who is currently employed as either a peace officer as defined in section 15-1808, Arizona Revised Statutes, or a correctional officer.
Sec. 2. Financial aid trust fund; required state match; reduction
Notwithstanding section 15-1642, subsection C, Arizona Revised Statutes, for fiscal year 2024-2025, each dollar raised pursuant to the surcharge on student registration fees assessed pursuant to section 15-1642, subsection A, Arizona Revised Statutes, may be matched by less than $2 appropriated by the legislature.
Sec. 3. Community college districts; state aid for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and workforce programs
Notwithstanding section 15-1464, subsection A, paragraph 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, state aid for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and workforce programs for community college districts for fiscal year 2024-2025 is as specified in the general appropriations act.
Sec. 4. Community college districts; operating state aid; eligibility; limits
Notwithstanding section 15-1466, Arizona Revised Statutes, operating state aid for community college districts for fiscal year 2024-2025 is as specified in the general appropriations act.