Florida Senate - 2015              PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
       Bill No. SB 1140
       
       
       
       
       
                               Ì884566OÎ884566                          
       
       594-02557-15                                                    
       Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Fiscal Policy
       (Appropriations Subcommittee on Education)
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2  
    3          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section 1009.531, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program; student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—(2)(c) A student graduating from high school in the 2012-2013 academic year and thereafter is eligible to accept an initial award for 2 years following high school graduation and to accept a renewal award for 5 years following high school graduation. A student who applies for an award by high school graduation and who meets all other eligibility requirements, but who does not accept his or her award, may reapply during subsequent application periods up to 2 years after high school graduation. For a student who enlists in the United States Armed Forces immediately after completion of high school, the 2-year eligibility period for his or her initial award and the 5-year renewal period shall begin upon the date of separation from active duty. For a student who is receiving a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship award and discontinues his or her education to enlist in the United States Armed Forces, the remainder of his or her 5-year renewal period shall commence upon the date of separation from active duty. For a student who is unable to accept an initial award immediately after completion of high school due to a full-time religious or service obligation lasting at least 18 months, the 2-year eligibility period for his or her initial award and the 5-year renewal period begin upon the completion of his or her religious or service obligation. The organization sponsoring the full-time religious or service obligation must meet the requirements for nonprofit status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a federal government service organization that includes, but is not limited to, the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps programs. The obligation must be documented in writing and verified by the entity for which the student completed the obligation on a standardized form prescribed by the department. If a course of study is not completed after 5 academic years, an exception of 1 year to the renewal timeframe may be granted due to a verifiable illness or other documented emergency pursuant to s. 1009.40(1)(b)4.Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.