Florida Senate - 2021                                    SB 1672
       
       
        
       By Senator Diaz
       
       
       
       
       
       36-01364-21                                           20211672__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the State University Free Seat
    3         Program; creating s. 1009.266, F.S.; creating the
    4         State University Free Seat Program; providing a
    5         purpose for the program; providing an exemption from
    6         tuition and fees, including lab fees, for one online
    7         course at a state university for certain resident
    8         students; prohibiting a state university from charging
    9         such students more than a specified percentage of the
   10         tuition rate and the tuition differential under
   11         certain circumstances; providing a limitation on the
   12         application of such tuition discount; providing an
   13         effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 1009.266, Florida Statutes, is created
   18  to read:
   19         1009.266 State University Free Seat Program.—
   20         (1) The State University Free Seat Program is created to
   21  encourage nontraditional students to enroll in and attend a
   22  state university.
   23         (2)(a) A student who is a resident for tuition purposes
   24  under s. 1009.21 and who has not been enrolled in a
   25  postsecondary institution for more than 5 years is exempt from
   26  the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees, for one
   27  online course at a state university during each academic year.
   28         (b)1. For all other courses, a state university may not
   29  charge a student who meets the criteria in paragraph (a) more
   30  than 75 percent of the tuition rate as specified in s.
   31  1009.24(4) and 75 percent of the tuition differential pursuant
   32  to s. 1009.24(16), if the student remains enrolled in at least
   33  one online course during each academic year.
   34         2. A student who qualifies for the tuition discount under
   35  subparagraph 1. is eligible to receive the discount for up to
   36  110 percent of the number of required credit hours of the degree
   37  program for which the student is enrolled.
   38         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.