General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6162
January Session, 2017 *_____HB06162HED___032117____*
General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 6162
January Session, 2017
*_____HB06162HED___032117____*
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. (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 who 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 the 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 Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(a)(1), "that shall be administered provided such student" was changed to "who" for clarity.
HED Joint Favorable Subst.
HED
Joint Favorable Subst.