Connecticut 2017 2017 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06162 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 03/13/2017

                    General Assembly  Committee Bill No. 6162
January Session, 2017  LCO No. 5244
 *05244HB06162HED*
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)

General Assembly

Committee Bill No. 6162 

January Session, 2017

LCO No. 5244

*05244HB06162HED*

Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT 

Introduced by:

(HED)

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEBT-FREE HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2017) (a) For the purposes of this section: 

(1) "Debt-free higher education program" means a program administered by the Office of Higher Education that provides a debt-free grant-in-aid to an in-state student attending a public institution of higher education that shall be administered provided such student has exhausted all other financial assistance options available.

(2) "Debt-free grant-in-aid" means the eligible cost for higher education minus other financial assistance. 

(3) "Eligible cost of higher education" means the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for an in-state student attending a public institution of higher education in this state. "Eligible cost of higher education" does not include the cost of room, board or educational materials. 

(4) "Other financial assistance" means the total amount of scholarships and federal or other grants awarded to a student.

(b) The Office of Higher Education shall conduct a study on the feasibility of implementing a debt-free higher education program for all in-state students attending a public institution of higher education. The study shall include, but not be limited to, (1) an analysis of the implementation of such debt-free higher education program for the regional community-technical college system; (2) an analysis of the implementation of such debt-free higher education program for The University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State University System; and (3) a plan to maximize other financial assistance options available to in-state students attending public institutions of higher education. 

(c) Not later than January 1, 2018, the Office of Higher Education shall submit its findings, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. 

 


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2017 New section

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

July 1, 2017

New section

Statement of Purpose: 

To study the feasibility of the implementation of a debt-free higher education program for in-state students attending public institutions of higher education. 

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]

 

Co-Sponsors: REP. LESSER, 100th Dist.; REP. ALBIS, 99th Dist.

Co-Sponsors: 

REP. LESSER, 100th Dist.; REP. ALBIS, 99th Dist. 

H.B. 6162