| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 61 0074 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 716 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Berry of the 56 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Carpenter of the 4 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Frye of the 122 |
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| 8 | 8 | | nd |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Park of the |
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| 10 | 10 | | 107 |
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| 11 | 11 | | th |
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| 12 | 12 | | , Sanchez of the 42 |
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| 13 | 13 | | nd |
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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 grant program to combat food insecurity among postsecondary students; to provide3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | definitions; to provide for a maximum award amount; to provide for applications; to provide4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | for rules, regulations, and procedures; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | laws; and for other purposes.6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 1.8 |
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| 26 | 26 | | Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,9 |
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| 27 | 27 | | relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to10 |
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| 28 | 28 | | read as follows:11 |
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| 29 | 29 | | "Subpart 2B |
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| 30 | 30 | | 12 |
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| 31 | 31 | | 20-3-367.13 |
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| 32 | 32 | | As used in this subpart, the term:14 |
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| 33 | 33 | | H. B. 716 |
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| 34 | 34 | | - 1 - 25 LC 61 0074 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) 'Commission' means the Georgia Student Finance Commission created by Code15 |
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| 36 | 36 | | Section 20-3-233.16 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) 'Eligible postsecondary institution' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code17 |
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| 38 | 38 | | Section 20-3-519.18 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) 'Eligible student' means a person:19 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (A) Whose family income is considered economically disadvantaged, based on criteria20 |
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| 41 | 41 | | established by the commission, or who has a financial aid gap;21 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (B) Who meets any academic or other standards established by the commission;22 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (C) Who is eligible for a scholarship or grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.1; and23 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (D) Who has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).24 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (4) 'Financial aid gap' means the monetary amount remaining after other funding, as25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | determined by the commission, for the cost of attendance certified by an eligible26 |
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| 47 | 47 | | postsecondary institution.27 |
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| 48 | 48 | | 28 |
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| 49 | 49 | | 20-3-368. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 29 |
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| 51 | 51 | | (a) Subject to appropriations, the commission shall establish a needs based financial aid30 |
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| 52 | 52 | | program to provide grants to eligible students enrolled at an eligible postsecondary31 |
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| 53 | 53 | | institution for the purpose of combating food insecurity among postsecondary students. 32 |
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| 54 | 54 | | The maximum award per eligible student shall not exceed an amount equal to the highest33 |
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| 55 | 55 | | cost meal plan of the postsecondary institution attended by such eligible student. The34 |
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| 56 | 56 | | commission may provide for individualized eligibility criteria and grant amounts as35 |
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| 57 | 57 | | determined to be the most appropriate for the particular eligible postsecondary institution36 |
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| 58 | 58 | | and its student population in accordance with this subpart. The commission shall also37 |
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| 59 | 59 | | establish criteria necessary for eligible students to retain and continue to receive such38 |
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| 60 | 60 | | grants in accordance with this subpart.39 |
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| 61 | 61 | | (b) Each eligible student wishing to receive a grant pursuant to this subpart shall submit40 |
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| 62 | 62 | | a grant application in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by41 |
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| 63 | 63 | | H. B. 716 |
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| 64 | 64 | | - 2 - 25 LC 61 0074 |
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| 65 | 65 | | the commission. The commission is authorized to define such terms and prescribe such42 |
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| 66 | 66 | | rules, regulations, and procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the43 |
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| 67 | 67 | | purposes of this subpart. In the event a student on whose behalf a grant is paid does not44 |
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| 68 | 68 | | enroll as a full-time or part-time student for the academic semester for which the grant is45 |
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| 69 | 69 | | paid, the qualified institution shall make a refund to the commission in accordance with the46 |
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| 70 | 70 | | rules and regulations of the commission."47 |
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| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 2.48 |
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| 72 | 72 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.49 |
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| 73 | 73 | | H. B. 716 |
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| 74 | 74 | | - 3 - |
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