Florida Senate - 2023 CS for SB 1272 By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senators Simon, Powell, Gruters, Garcia, and Perry 576-04239-23 20231272c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to educational grants; creating s. 3 1009.521, F.S.; providing education grants under the 4 William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student 5 Education Grant Program to certain students who were 6 eligible as of a specified date to receive grants 7 under the former Access to Better Learning and 8 Education Grant Program; providing education grants to 9 eligible students at for-profit colleges or 10 universities under certain conditions; prescribing 11 criteria for participating institutions; requiring 12 that institutions that wish to participate provide 13 notice to the Department of Education by a certain 14 date; requiring that such institutions comply with 15 specified provision; amending s. 1009.40, F.S.; adding 16 a cross reference to the eligibility requirement for 17 residency; providing an effective date. 18 19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20 21 Section 1. Section 1009.521, Florida Statutes, is created 22 to read: 23 1009.521 Educational grants to former eligible tuition 24 assistance grant students.— 25 (1)(a) The department shall issue a grant pursuant to s. 26 1009.89 to any full-time degree-seeking undergraduate student 27 who meets the requirements of s. 1009.89(4)(a) and (b)1. and is 28 registered at an independent nonprofit university that, as of 29 January 1, 2021, was eligible for the Access to Better Learning 30 and Education Grant Program, as created by former s. 1009.891, 31 if such university has been located in this state for more than 32 20 years; offers nursing programs at its Florida campus which 33 include licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), 34 including associate of science in nursing (ASN) and bachelor of 35 science in nursing (BSN), accelerated BSN, practical nurse 36 bridge to ASN, and practical nurse bridge to BSN; and is 37 accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. 38 (b) The department shall issue a grant pursuant to s. 39 1009.89 to any full-time degree-seeking undergraduate student 40 who meets the requirements of s. 1009.89(4)(a) and (b)1. and is 41 registered at an independent for-profit college or university 42 located in and chartered by this state, accredited by an 43 accrediting agency or association recognized by the database 44 created and maintained by the United States Department of 45 Education, was licensed by the department on or before October 46 1, 2021, and has Level 6 accreditation from the Commission on 47 Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 48 (2) An institution that meets the criteria specified in 49 paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b) may not be a state 50 university or Florida College System institution. In addition, 51 the institution must have a secular purpose, and the receipt of 52 state aid by students at the institution may not have the 53 primary effect of advancing or impeding religion or result in an 54 excessive entanglement between the state and any religious sect. 55 (3) To qualify for funding under this section, an 56 institution must exercise a one-time option to participate by 57 notifying the department, in writing, of its decision to 58 participate on or before September 1, 2023, and must comply with 59 s. 1009.89(5)(a)-(c). 60 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 61 1009.40, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 62 1009.40 General requirements for student eligibility for 63 state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants.— 64 (1)(a) The general requirements for eligibility of students 65 for state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants 66 consist of the following: 67 1. Achievement of the academic requirements of and 68 acceptance at a state university or Florida College System 69 institution; a nursing diploma school approved by the Florida 70 Board of Nursing; a Florida college or university which is 71 accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the State 72 Board of Education; a Florida institution the credits of which 73 are acceptable for transfer to state universities; a career 74 center; or a private career institution accredited by an 75 accrediting agency recognized by the State Board of Education. 76 2. Residency in this state for no less than 1 year 77 preceding the award of aid or a tuition assistance grant for a 78 program established pursuant to s. 1009.50, s. 1009.505, s. 79 1009.51, s. 1009.52, s. 1009.521, s. 1009.53, s. 1009.60, s. 80 1009.62, s. 1009.72, s. 1009.73, s. 1009.75, s. 1009.77, s. 81 1009.89, or s. 1009.894. Residency in this state must be for 82 purposes other than to obtain an education. Resident status for 83 purposes of receiving state financial aid awards shall be 84 determined in the same manner as resident status for tuition 85 purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21. 86 3. Submission of certification attesting to the accuracy, 87 completeness, and correctness of information provided to 88 demonstrate a student’s eligibility to receive state financial 89 aid awards or tuition assistance grants. Falsification of such 90 information shall result in the denial of a pending application 91 and revocation of an award or grant currently held to the extent 92 that no further payments shall be made. Additionally, students 93 who knowingly make false statements in order to receive state 94 financial aid awards or tuition assistance grants commit a 95 misdemeanor of the second degree subject to the provisions of s. 96 837.06 and shall be required to return all state financial aid 97 awards or tuition assistance grants wrongfully obtained. 98 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.