Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 1294
       
       
       
       By Senator Storms
       
       
       
       
       10-00190-09                                           20091294__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student financial assistance;
    3         providing legislative intent to expand access to
    4         postsecondary education and reduce student
    5         indebtedness; requiring each state university and
    6         community college to report information relating to
    7         certain funds used to provide financial assistance to
    8         certain students; prohibiting the use of such funds to
    9         provide financial assistance to specified foreign
   10         students; defining the term “eligible Florida
   11         resident”; providing for the redirection of funds to
   12         provide additional need-based financial assistance to
   13         eligible Florida residents; requiring a report by
   14         state universities and community colleges; providing
   15         an effective date.
   16         
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18         
   19         Section 1. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to use a
   20  portion of the state's limited resources to expand access to
   21  postsecondary education and to reduce student indebtedness by
   22  increasing need-based financial assistance for Florida
   23  residents. Expanding access and increasing financial assistance
   24  will encourage Florida residents to pursue postsecondary
   25  education, which will produce economic benefits for the state by
   26  increasing the levels of higher educational attainment and
   27  earning potential of Florida's citizenry.
   28         (2) By December 31, 2009, each state university and
   29  community college shall report to the President of the Senate
   30  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the total amount
   31  of state funds appropriated directly or indirectly to the
   32  institution and tuition and fee revenues generated by Florida
   33  residents which were used to provide:
   34         (a) Financial assistance during the 2007-2008 academic year
   35  to students holding F-1 or M-1 visas.
   36         (b) Need-based financial assistance during the 2007-2008
   37  academic year to students classified as residents for tuition
   38  purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21, Florida Statutes.
   39         (3) Effective for the 2010-2011 academic year and each year
   40  thereafter:
   41         (a) A state university or community college may not use
   42  state funds appropriated directly or indirectly to the
   43  institution or tuition or fee revenues generated by Florida
   44  residents to provide financial assistance to any student holding
   45  an F-1 or M-1 visa.
   46         (b) The amount of funds reported pursuant to paragraph
   47  (2)(a) shall be used by an institution to provide additional
   48  need-based financial assistance to eligible Florida residents.
   49  If the unmet need for eligible Florida residents is fully
   50  satisfied without reliance on loans, any remaining funds shall
   51  be used to provide merit-based financial assistance to eligible
   52  Florida residents.
   53         (4) For purposes of this section, “eligible Florida
   54  resident” means a student classified at the time of initial
   55  enrollment at a state university or community college as a
   56  resident for tuition purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21, Florida
   57  Statutes.
   58         (5) Funds redirected pursuant to this section shall be
   59  additional funds for need-based financial assistance for
   60  eligible Florida residents and may not be used to reduce or
   61  supplant the level of funding for need-based financial
   62  assistance for such students.
   63         (6) For purposes of this section, financial assistance does
   64  not include compensation paid to students for assistantships or
   65  participation in work-study programs.
   66         (7) Each state university and community college shall
   67  report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
   68  House of Representatives by July 1, 2011, the number of Florida
   69  residents benefiting from the use of financial assistance
   70  provided from the funds redirected pursuant to this section.
   71         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.