CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-38                                        Bill No. HB 2017

    Amendment No. 5 (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  4  ______________________________________________________________

  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

  6

  7

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  9

10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Representative(s) Byrd, Attkisson, Melvin, and Kilmer offered

12  the following:

13

14         Amendment 

15         On page 1018, between lines 2 and 3, of the bill

16

17  insert:

18         Section 469.  Section 1009.895, Florida Statutes, is

19  created to read:

20         1009.895  Access to Better Learning and Education

21  Grants.--

22         (1)  The Access to Better Learning and Education Grant

23  Program is established to provide tuition assistance to

24  eligible Florida residents attending eligible independent

25  postsecondary educational institutions in the state.

26         (2)  The Access to Better Learning and Education Grant

27  Program shall be administered by the Department of Education.

28  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the

29  administration of the program.

30         (3)  The department shall issue through the program an

31  Access to Better Learning and Education Grant to any full-time

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    File original & 9 copies    03/13/02
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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-38                                        Bill No. HB 2017

    Amendment No. 5 (for drafter's use only)





  1  degree-seeking undergraduate student registered at an

  2  independent college or university, which is located in and

  3  chartered by the state; which is accredited by the Commission

  4  on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and

  5  Schools; which grants baccalaureate degrees; and which is not

  6  a state university or public community college or an

  7  institution the students of which are eligible to receive a

  8  William L. Boyd, IV, Florida resident access grant pursuant to

  9  s. 1009.89; provided that the receipt of state aid by students

10  at the institution would not have the primary effect of

11  advancing or impeding religion or result in an excessive

12  entanglement between the state and any religious sect.

13         (4)  A person is eligible to receive an Access to

14  Better Learning and Education Grant if:

15         (a)  He or she meets the general requirements,

16  including residency, for student eligibility as provided in s.

17  1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section.

18         (b)1.  He or she is enrolled as a full-time

19  undergraduate student at an eligible college or university.

20         2.  He or she is not enrolled in a program of study

21  leading to a degree in theology or divinity.

22         3.  He or she is making satisfactory academic progress

23  as defined by the college or university in which he or she is

24  enrolled.

25         (5)(a)  Funding for the Access to Better Learning and

26  Education Grant Program shall be based on a formula composed

27  of planned enrollment and the state cost of funding

28  undergraduate enrollment at public educational institutions

29  pursuant to s. 1011.90. The amount of the Access to Better

30  Learning and Education Grant issued to a full-time student

31  shall be an amount as specified in the General Appropriations

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-38                                        Bill No. HB 2017

    Amendment No. 5 (for drafter's use only)





  1  Act. The access grant may be paid on a prorated basis in

  2  advance of the registration period. The department shall make

  3  such payments to the college or university in which the

  4  student is enrolled for credit to the student's account for

  5  payment of tuition and fees. Institutions shall certify to the

  6  department the amount of funds disbursed to each student and

  7  shall remit to the department any undisbursed advances or

  8  refunds within 60 days of the end of regular registration.

  9  Students shall not be eligible to receive the award for more

10  than 9 semesters or 14 quarters, except as otherwise provided

11  in s. 1009.40(3).

12         (b)  If the combined amount of the Access to Better

13  Learning and Education Grant issued pursuant to this section

14  and all other scholarships and grants for tuition or fees

15  exceeds the amount charged to the student for tuition and

16  fees, the department shall reduce the grant issued pursuant to

17  this section by an amount equal to such excess.

18         (6)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the

19  Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program shall be

20  deposited in the State Student Financial Assistance Trust

21  Fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and

22  pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the

23  end of any fiscal year which has been allocated to the Access

24  to Better Learning and Education Grant Program shall remain

25  therein and shall be available for carrying out the purposes

26  of this section. If the number of eligible students exceeds

27  the total authorized in the General Appropriations Act, an

28  institution may use its own resources to ensure that each

29  eligible student receives the full benefit of the grant amount

30  authorized.

31

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    File original & 9 copies    03/13/02
    hbd0002                     10:26 pm         02017-0062-361651