WEST virginia legislature

2021 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 335

By Senators Nelson, Grady, Unger, Romano, Hamilton, Martin, Stollings, and Baldwin

[Originating in the Committee on Education; reported on March 12, 2021]

 

 

A BILL to amend and reenact §18C-7-6 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to PROMISE scholarships; allowing a certain amount of the scholarship to be carried forward for students enrolled in certain community and technical colleges if the cost of tuition is less than $4,750; allowing the amount carried forward to be applied to the cost of tuition at a baccalaureate program beyond the eight semesters total for which the student would otherwise be eligible to receive the award until the total amount carried forward is depleted; prescribing certain qualifications applicable for PROMISE scholarships for students pursuing certificates or degrees through an accredited community and technical college education program; and adding drug testing as a qualification for the scholarship.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 7. WEST VIRGINIA PROVIDING REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAXIMIZING IN-STATE STUDENT EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

§18C-7-6. PROMISE Scholarship Program requirements; legislative rule.

(a) A PROMISE scholarship annual award shall meet the following conditions:

(1) For a student enrolled in a state institution of higher education, the annual award is equal to the lesser of the cost of tuition or $4,750, except that a student who was awarded and used a PROMISE scholarship annual award prior to January 1, 2010, shall continue to receive the annual award calculated under the same terms and conditions that applied on the day before the effective date of this article;

(2) For a student enrolled in an eligible institution other than a state institution of higher education, the annual award is equal to, but may not exceed, the lesser of the cost of tuition or $4,750, except that a student who was awarded and used a PROMISE scholarship annual award prior to January 1, 2010, shall continue to receive the annual award calculated under the same terms and conditions that applied on the day before the effective date of this article;

(3) The annual award may exceed $4,750, if the commission determines that adequate funds are available, but in any case may not be greater than the actual cost of tuition;

(4) For a student enrolled in a certificate or degree program at a West Virginia accredited community and technical college, if the cost of tuition is less than $4,750, the amount of the difference between the cost of tuition and $4,750 may be carried forward and applied to the cost of tuition at a baccalaureate program beyond the eight semesters total for which the student would otherwise be eligible to receive the award until the total amount carried forward is depleted.  The amount carried forward that may be applied annually to tuition shall be the lesser of the cost of tuition or $4,750; and  

(4) (5) The annual award shall be used by an eligible institution to supplement, but may not supplant, a tuition and fee waiver for which the individual is eligible pursuant to §18B-10-5, §18B-10-6a, §18B-10-7, or §18B-10-7b of this code.

(b) The total cost of all scholarships awarded by the commission in any year may not exceed the amount of funds available to the commission during that fiscal year.

(c) In order to be eligible to receive a PROMISE scholarship award, an individual shall:

(1) Submit a scholarship award application to the commission:

(A) Within two years of completing a secondary education program in a public, private, or home school or within two years of obtaining a GED or equivalent; or

(B) Within seven years of initially entering military service, and within one year of discharge from military service, if the individual has entered the United States armed services within two years after completing a secondary education program in a public, private, or home school or obtaining a GED or equivalent;

(2) Apply for and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid;

(3) Maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale in the required core and elective course work necessary to prepare students for success in post-secondary education at the associate and baccalaureate degree levels as determined by the commission, if the individual has completed not more than one semester or term at an institution of higher education, excluding credits earned in advanced placement, international baccalaureate, dual credit, and comparable courses while the student is enrolled in high school, subject to the following:

(A) A student desiring to pursue a certificate or degree in a West Virginia accredited community and technical college education program, as defined in §18B-1-2 of this code, may be awarded a PROMISE scholarship for as many as four semesters in such a program if the student has a composite ACT score of at least 18 and a high school grade point average of 2.5, and maintains a 2.2 grade point average in the chosen program; and

(B) If the student subsequently decides to transition to a baccalaureate program, the student shall maintain a 3.0 grade point average in the chosen community and technical college education program as a condition for continued eligibility for the PROMISE scholarship after transitioning to the baccalaureate program.

(4) Maintain appropriate academic progress toward the completion of a degree at the undergraduate education level as determined by the commission if the individual has completed more than one semester or term at an institution of higher education, excluding credits earned in advanced placement, international baccalaureate, dual credit and comparable courses while the student is enrolled in high school;

(5) Have, prior to the start of each school year, taken a drug test administered by the eligible institution. If the individual tests positive, he or she shall take another drug test prior to the beginning of the next semester.  If the results of the second test are positive, the individual shall complete a drug rehabilitation program as prescribed by the Vice Chancellor for Administration as a condition of continued eligibility for the PROMISE scholarship.  The applicant shall be responsible for the actual cost of any drug tests and drug rehabilitation program required by this subdivision;

(5) (6) Be a United States citizen or legal immigrant to the United States;

(6) (7) Meet additional objective standards the commission considers necessary to promote academic excellence and to maintain the financial stability of the fund; and

(7) (8) Enroll in an eligible institution. A student enrolled at an eligible institution who receives a PROMISE scholarship award may retain and renew the scholarship to complete his or her undergraduate education at that institution or any other eligible institution under the following circumstances:

(A) The institution at which the student is enrolled loses its status as an eligible institution pursuant to the provisions of §18B-7-3(b)(1) of this code; and

(B) The student meets all other renewal requirements of this code and of commission rules.

(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall strongly encourage prospective candidates for the PROMISE scholarship to perform at least 20 hours of unpaid community service while in high school to help prepare them for success in post-secondary education. The community service may include, but is not limited to, participation with nonprofit, governmental or community-based organizations designed with any or all of the following purposes:

(1) Improving the quality of life for community residents;

(2) Meeting the needs of community residents; or

(3) Fostering civic responsibility.

(e) The commission shall promulgate a legislative rule in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3A-1 et seq. of this code.

(1) The rule shall include at least the following provisions:

(A) The amount of a PROMISE scholarship award in combination with aid from all other sources may not exceed the cost of education at the institution the recipient is attending. This provision does not apply to members of the West Virginia National Guard, recipients of an Underwood-Smith teacher scholarship and recipients of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship;

(B) Additional objective standards the commission considers necessary:

(i) To promote academic excellence;

(ii) To maintain the financial stability of the fund; and

(iii) To operate the program within the limits of available funds;

(C) Provisions for making the highest and best use of the PROMISE Scholarship Program in conjunction with the West Virginia College Prepaid Tuition and Savings Program Act set forth in §18-30-1 et seq. of this code;

(D) A provision defining the relationship of PROMISE scholarship awards to all other sources of student financial aid to ensure maximum coordination. The provision shall include the following:

(i) Methods to maximize student eligibility for federal student financial aid;

(ii) A requirement that PROMISE scholarship awards not supplant tuition and fee waivers; and

(iii) Clarification of the relationship between the PROMISE Scholarship Program, tuition savings plans and other state-funded student financial aid programs;

(E) A method for awarding scholarships within the limits of available appropriations, including circumstances when program funds are not sufficient to provide awards to all eligible applicants. The commission may not use any of the following methods:

(i) Providing for an annual PROMISE scholarship award that is less than the amounts provided for in this section; or

(ii) Eliminating any current recipient from eligibility; and

(F) A method for applicants to appeal determinations of eligibility and renewal.

(2) The rule may provide for or require the following at the commission’s discretion:

(A) Requiring repayment of the amount of the scholarship, in whole or in part, if a scholarship recipient chooses to work outside the state after graduation. The rule may not require a recipient to repay a scholarship, in whole or in part, unless the prospective recipient has been informed of this requirement in writing before initial acceptance of the PROMISE scholarship award;

(B) Targeting a portion of the scholarship funds to be used for applicants enrolled in an engineering, science, technology or other designated program;

(C) Determining what other sources of funding for higher education are to be deducted from the PROMISE scholarship award; and

(D) Providing additional criteria as determined by the commission.

(3) The Legislature finds that an emergency exists and, therefore, the commission shall file a rule to implement the provisions of this section as an emergency rule pursuant to the provisions of §29A-3A-1 et seq. of this code. The rule is subject to the prior approval of the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability.

(4) Any rule promulgated by the commission pursuant to previous enactments of this article in effect on the effective date of the amendment and reenactment of this article in the year 2009 remains in effect until amended, modified, repealed, or replaced by the commission.