| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 61 0155 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 695 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Santos of the 117 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Reese of the 140 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Bell of the 75 |
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| 8 | 8 | | th |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Berry of the 56 |
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| 10 | 10 | | th |
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| 11 | 11 | | , |
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| 12 | 12 | | Flournoy of the 74 |
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| 13 | 13 | | th |
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| 14 | 14 | | , and others |
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| 15 | 15 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT |
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| 17 | 17 | | To amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to establish a needs2 |
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| 20 | 20 | | based financial aid program to award grants to eligible students who have not yet received3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | their financial aid award so that such students can obtain the essential materials they need to4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | begin classes; to provide a maximum award amount; to provide definitions; to provide for5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | eligibility; to provide for applications; to provide for rules, regulations, and procedures; to6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 1.9 |
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| 27 | 27 | | Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,10 |
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| 28 | 28 | | relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to11 |
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| 29 | 29 | | read as follows:12 |
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| 30 | 30 | | "Subpart 2B |
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| 31 | 31 | | 13 |
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| 32 | 32 | | 20-3-367.14 |
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| 33 | 33 | | As used in this subpart, the term:15 |
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| 34 | 34 | | H. B. 695 |
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| 35 | 35 | | - 1 - 25 LC 61 0155 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) 'Commission' means the Georgia Student Finance Commission created by Code16 |
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| 37 | 37 | | Section 20-3-233.17 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) 'Eligible student' means a person:18 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) Whose family income is considered economically disadvantaged, based on criteria19 |
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| 40 | 40 | | established by the commission;20 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (B) Who meets any academic or other standards established by the commission;21 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (C) Who is eligible for a scholarship or grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.1;22 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (D) Who has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);23 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (E) Who is enrolled in a qualified institution; and24 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (F) Who has applied and is eligible for state or federal financial aid but has not25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | received his or her financial aid award within two weeks of the first day of the semester26 |
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| 47 | 47 | | or quarter.27 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) 'Essential materials' means books, materials, or other items identified by the course28 |
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| 49 | 49 | | instructor as essential to participating in and completing a required course as part of an29 |
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| 50 | 50 | | eligible student's program of study.30 |
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| 51 | 51 | | (4) 'Qualified institution' shall have the same meaning as the term 'eligible postsecondary31 |
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| 52 | 52 | | institution' as set forth in Code Section 20-3-519.32 |
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| 53 | 53 | | 20-3-368.33 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (a) Subject to appropriations, the commission shall establish a needs based financial aid34 |
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| 55 | 55 | | program to provide grants to eligible students for the purpose of obtaining essential35 |
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| 56 | 56 | | materials. The maximum award amount per eligible student shall be $5,000.00 in total. 36 |
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| 57 | 57 | | Grant awards shall be disbursed directly to each student who is awarded a grant under this37 |
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| 58 | 58 | | subpart. The commission may provide for individualized eligibility criteria and grant38 |
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| 59 | 59 | | amounts as determined to be the most appropriate for the particular qualified institution and39 |
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| 60 | 60 | | program of study in accordance with this subpart and the rules and regulations of the40 |
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| 61 | 61 | | commission.41 |
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| 62 | 62 | | H. B. 695 |
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| 63 | 63 | | - 2 - 25 LC 61 0155 |
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| 64 | 64 | | (b) Each eligible student wishing to receive a grant pursuant to this subpart shall submit42 |
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| 65 | 65 | | a grant application in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by43 |
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| 66 | 66 | | the commission. Such application shall include the essential materials such student wishes44 |
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| 67 | 67 | | to obtain and the estimated cost of such essential materials.45 |
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| 68 | 68 | | 20-3-369.46 |
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| 69 | 69 | | The commission is authorized to define such terms and prescribe such rules, regulations,47 |
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| 70 | 70 | | and procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the purposes of this48 |
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| 71 | 71 | | subpart. Such rules, regulations, and procedures shall provide for the expedited processing49 |
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| 72 | 72 | | of applications and disbursement of grant awards."50 |
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| 73 | 73 | | SECTION 2.51 |
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| 74 | 74 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.52 |
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| 75 | 75 | | H. B. 695 |
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| 76 | 76 | | - 3 - |
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