Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB525 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HB525INTRODUCED
2	2	Page 0
3	3	HB525
4	4	U98PKDD-1
5	5	By Representatives Chestnut, Daniels, England, McCampbell,
6	6	Lawrence, Gray, Lands, Travis, Bracy, Hassell, Sellers,
7	7	Morris, Moore (M), Hall
8	8	RFD: Ways and Means Education
9	9	First Read: 03-Apr-25
10	10	1
11	11	2
12	12	3
13	13	4
14	14	5
15	15	6
16	16	7 U98PKDD-1 04/02/2025 KMS (L)cr 2025-1497
17	17	Page 1
18	18	First Read: 03-Apr-25
19	19	SYNOPSIS:
20	20	Under existing law, the Alabama Student Grant
21	21	Program, administered by the Alabama Commission on
22	22	Higher Education, awards grants to students to attend
23	23	certain approved independent Alabama institutions of
24	24	higher education.
25	25	This bill would add any independent historically
26	26	Black college or university (HBCU) located in Selma,
27	27	Alabama, to the list of institutions approved to
28	28	participate in the grant program.
29	29	A BILL
30	30	TO BE ENTITLED
31	31	AN ACT
32	32	To amend Section 16-33A-1, Code of Alabama 1975,
33	33	relating to the Alabama Student Grant Program; to add any
34	34	independent historically Black college or university (HBCU)
35	35	located in Selma, Alabama, to the list of institutions
36	36	approved to participate in the grant program.
37	37	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
38	38	Section 1. Section 16-33A-1 of the Code of Alabama
39	39	1975, is amended to read as follows:
40	40	"§16-33A-1
41	41	1
42	42	2
43	43	3
44	44	4
45	45	5
46	46	6
47	47	7
48	48	8
49	49	9
50	50	10
51	51	11
52	52	12
53	53	13
54	54	14
55	55	15
56	56	16
57	57	17
58	58	18
59	59	19
60	60	20
61	61	21
62	62	22
63	63	23
64	64	24
65	65	25
66	66	26
67	67	27
68	68	28 HB525 INTRODUCED
69	69	Page 2
70	70	"§16-33A-1
71	71	As used in this chapter, unless the context requires
72	72	otherwise, the following terms shall have the following
73	73	meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section :
74	74	(1) ACHE. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
75	75	(2) ALABAMA RESIDENT. A person An individual who has
76	76	been domiciled in the State of Alabama for a period of at
77	77	least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding application
78	78	for a grant under the Alabama Student Grant Program program.
79	79	The ACHE shall promulgate adopt and enforce regulations rules
80	80	further defining and limiting the term domicile so as to limit
81	81	the benefits of this legislation chapter to bona fide Alabama
82	82	citizens residents, based upon criteria including residency of
83	83	parents and guardians, voter registration of students and
84	84	parents, driver's license registration, and other facts
85	85	indicating bona fide citizenship residency.
86	86	(3) APPROVED INSTITUTION. a. Includes all of the
87	87	following:
88	88	1. Any independent nonprofit postsecondary institution
89	89	of higher learning located in the State of Alabama which is
90	90	accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
91	91	Association of Colleges and Schools , any.
92	92	2. Any independent nonprofit postsecondary institution
93	93	of higher learning whose credits are accepted by at least
94	94	three other institutions which are accredited by the
95	95	Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
96	96	and Schools, or any
97	97	3. Any independent postsecondary institution of higher
98	98	learning with a permanent facility offering classroom
99	99	29
100	100	30
101	101	31
102	102	32
103	103	33
104	104	34
105	105	35
106	106	36
107	107	37
108	108	38
109	109	39
110	110	40
111	111	41
112	112	42
113	113	43
114	114	44
115	115	45
116	116	46
117	117	47
118	118	48
119	119	49
120	120	50
121	121	51
122	122	52
123	123	53
124	124	54
125	125	55
126	126	56 HB525 INTRODUCED
127	127	Page 3
128	128	learning with a permanent facility offering classroom
129	129	instruction located in Montgomery County, Alabama, which has
130	130	been incorporated and in continuous operation for over 50
131	131	years and which has been accredited for over 10 years by the
132	132	Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
133	133	and Schools, prior to July 1, 2010.
134	134	4. Any independent postsecondary historically Black
135	135	college or university (HBCU) located in Selma, Alabama, that
136	136	is accredited by a federally recognized accreditation agency.
137	137	b. Such an An approved institution must have an
138	138	academic curriculum which is not comprised principally of
139	139	sectarian instruction or preparation of students for a
140	140	sectarian vocation and which does not award primarily
141	141	theologian or seminarian degrees. To the extent that any such
142	142	institution may have a religious or denominational
143	143	affiliation, it the institution must perform essentially
144	144	secular educational functions which are distinct and separable
145	145	from religious activity. Such an An approved institution must
146	146	not discriminate in its admissions practices on the basis of
147	147	religious or denominational preference.
148	148	c. No independent postsecondary institution of higher
149	149	learning shall be considered an approved institution during
150	150	any fiscal year in which it the institution receives a direct
151	151	appropriation from the State of Alabama. Nothing contained
152	152	herein in this subdivision shall be construed to limit,
153	153	replace, or diminish any direct state appropriation now being
154	154	made or which shall hereafter be made to any independent
155	155	institution of higher learning.
156	156	(4) ELIGIBLE STUDENT. Any applicant for a grant under
157	157	57
158	158	58
159	159	59
160	160	60
161	161	61
162	162	62
163	163	63
164	164	64
165	165	65
166	166	66
167	167	67
168	168	68
169	169	69
170	170	70
171	171	71
172	172	72
173	173	73
174	174	74
175	175	75
176	176	76
177	177	77
178	178	78
179	179	79
180	180	80
181	181	81
182	182	82
183	183	83
184	184	84 HB525 INTRODUCED
185	185	Page 4
186	186	(4) ELIGIBLE STUDENT. Any applicant for a grant under
187	187	the Alabama Student Grant Program program who:
188	188	a. Has obtained a certificate of graduation from a
189	189	secondary school or the recognized equivalent of such
190	190	graduation; and
191	191	b. Is classified as an undergraduate student, as
192	192	defined in this chapter; and
193	193	c. Is an Alabama resident, as defined in this chapter;
194	194	and
195	195	d. Is a citizen of the United States or in the process
196	196	of becoming a citizen of the United States; and
197	197	e. Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a
198	198	full-time or part-time student in a program of at least six
199	199	months' duration in an approved institution as defined in this
200	200	chapter; and
201	201	f. Is not enrolled and does not intend to enroll in a
202	202	course of study leading to an undergraduate degree in theology
203	203	or divinity.
204	204	(5) FULL-TIME STUDENT. An individual student who meets
205	205	the criteria established by definitions , and rules, and
206	206	regulations to be established adopted by the ACHE.
207	207	(6) GRANT. A monetary award under the Alabama Student
208	208	Grant Program program to an approved institution on behalf of
209	209	and to the credit of an eligible student pursuant to this
210	210	chapter.
211	211	(7) INSTITUTIONAL RELATED EXPENSES. Nonsectarian
212	212	educational expenses , including, but not limited to, tuition,
213	213	mandatory fees, room and board, transportation, books and
214	214	supplies, and other incidental nonsectarian education expenses
215	215	85
216	216	86
217	217	87
218	218	88
219	219	89
220	220	90
221	221	91
222	222	92
223	223	93
224	224	94
225	225	95
226	226	96
227	227	97
228	228	98
229	229	99
230	230	100
231	231	101
232	232	102
233	233	103
234	234	104
235	235	105
236	236	106
237	237	107
238	238	108
239	239	109
240	240	110
241	241	111
242	242	112 HB525 INTRODUCED
243	243	Page 5
244	244	supplies, and other incidental nonsectarian education expenses
245	245	anticipated by an eligible student.
246	246	(8) PART-TIME STUDENT. An individual student who meets
247	247	all qualifications as an eligible student and who meets the
248	248	further criteria to be established by the ACHE.
249	249	(9) PROGRAM. The Alabama Student Grant Program,
250	250	including the administration thereof.
251	251	(10) UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT. Any individual student who
252	252	meets all other qualifications as an eligible student and has
253	253	not received a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent."
254	254	Section 2. This act shall become effective on July 1,
255	255	2025.
256	256	113
257	257	114
258	258	115
259	259	116
260	260	117
261	261	118
262	262	119
263	263	120
264	264	121
265	265	122
266	266	123