General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 868
January Session, 2013 *_____SB00868HEDAPP030813____*
General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 868
January Session, 2013
*_____SB00868HEDAPP030813____*
AN ACT TARGETING STATE FINANCIAL AID TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL TRAINING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2013) (a) The state, through the Office of Higher Education, shall establish a pilot program pursuant to which it shall utilize five hundred thousand dollars in financial aid money for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and five hundred thousand dollars in financial aid money for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, to promote enrollment in nondegree certificate programs and technical courses offered by the regional community-technical colleges that (1) provide industry-recognized credentials, and (2) directly correlate with occupational openings in shortage areas in this state, including, but not limited to, health care, manufacturing, transportation and energy, by providing financial aid to students who enroll in such programs and courses.
(b) The Office of Higher Education, in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education, shall develop a list of eligible nondegree certificate programs and technical courses that satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. The office shall establish a process by which to (1) periodically review such programs and technical courses to ensure that they continue to correlate with occupational openings in shortage areas, and (2) review the overall success of the pilot program.
(c) The Office of Higher Education shall award financial aid pursuant to the pilot program established by this section to students in financial need who (1) have completed an application process conducted by said office, (2) are not eligible for federal financial aid, and (3) do not have access to training resources provided through the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220, as from time to time amended. The office shall determine financial need through a verifiable and recognized process determined by said office, including, but not limited to, student submission of a free application for federal student aid.
(d) Not later than October 1, 2014, the Office of Higher Education shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education regarding (1) the number of students who received financial aid through the pilot program established in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, (2) the nondegree certificate programs and technical courses in which such students enrolled, (3) the cost to such students of such programs and courses, (4) the rates of completion by such students of such programs and courses, (5) the number and type of industry-recognized certificates and credentials earned by such students, and (6) the type of employment secured and wages earned by (A) such students who earned an industry-recognized certificate or credential not later than six months after completion of the certificate program or technical course, and (B) such students who did not earn an industry-recognized certificate or credential within six months of last attending the regional community-technical college through which such student participated in the pilot program.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2013 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
July 1, 2013
New section
HED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP
HED
Joint Favorable Subst. C/R
APP