Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1514
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 21-12-8-9.
Synopsis: High value workforce ready credit-bearing grant. Amends
eligibility requirements for the high value workforce ready
credit-bearing grant.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Behning
January 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
2025 IN 1514—LS 7507/DI 110 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
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Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1514
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
higher education.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 21-12-8-9, AS AMENDED BY P.L.92-2020,
2 SECTION 100, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
3 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 9. (a) This section applies to an
4 applicant who attends or has attended any of the following:
5 (1) An approved secondary school.
6 (2) A state accredited nonpublic school.
7 (3) A nonaccredited nonpublic school.
8 (b) An applicant is eligible to receive a high value workforce ready
9 credit-bearing grant if the following conditions are met:
10 (1) The applicant is domiciled in Indiana, as defined by the
11 commission.
12 (2) The applicant:
13 (A) has received a diploma of graduation from a school
14 described in subsection (a);
15 (B) has been granted a:
16 (i) high school equivalency certificate before July 1, 1995;
17 or
2025 IN 1514—LS 7507/DI 110 2
1 (ii) state of Indiana general educational development (GED)
2 diploma under IC 20-10.1-12.1 (before its repeal),
3 IC 20-20-6 (before its repeal), or IC 22-4.1-18; or
4 (C) is a student in good standing who is completing a final
5 year of study at a school described in subsection (a) and will
6 be eligible upon graduation to attend an approved institution
7 of higher learning.
8 (3) The applicant is enrolled in an eligible certificate program, as
9 determined under section 2(4) of this chapter, at Ivy Tech
10 Community College, Vincennes University, or a program
11 approved by the commission.
12 (4) The applicant enrolls at least half-time for purposes of federal
13 financial aid.
14 (5) The applicant has not received any grant for the maximum
15 number of academic terms specified for the grant in
16 IC 21-12-13-1 or IC 21-12-13-2.
17 (6) The applicant is not eligible for any state financial aid
18 program described in IC 21-12-13-1(a) or IC 21-12-13-2(a).
19 (7) The applicant is identified as financially independent from the
20 applicant's parents as determined by the Free Application for
21 Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
22 (8) The applicant has correctly filed the FAFSA and, if eligible
23 for aid, accepts all offered federal scholarships and grants.
24 (9) Except as provided under subsection (c), the applicant
25 maintains satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the
26 eligible institution.
27 (10) The applicant has not previously received a baccalaureate
28 degree or an associate degree. or an eligible certificate.
29 (11) The applicant meets any other minimum criteria established
30 by the commission.
31 (c) This subsection applies to an applicant who does not maintain
32 satisfactory academic progress under subsection (b)(9) but meets all the
33 other conditions required under subsection (b). An applicant is eligible
34 to receive a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant if the
35 applicant meets one (1) of the following:
36 (1) The applicant has not attended an eligible institution for the
37 immediately preceding two (2) academic years.
38 (2) The applicant:
39 (A) attended an eligible institution at any time during the
40 immediately preceding two (2) academic years; and
41 (B) maintained satisfactory academic progress, as determined
42 by the eligible institution, during the period described in
2025 IN 1514—LS 7507/DI 110 3
1 clause (A) in which the applicant attended the eligible
2 institution.
3 (d) If an applicant is identified as dependent as determined by the
4 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the applicant must:
5 (1) meet the criteria specified in subsection (b), except for
6 subsection (b)(4), (b)(7), and (b)(9);
7 (2) enroll full time for purposes of federal financial aid;
8 (3) maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the
9 eligible institution; and
10 (4) complete a workforce ready grant success program, as
11 determined by the commission, if the applicant graduates from
12 high school after December 31, 2018.
13 (e) If the demand for high value workforce ready credit-bearing
14 grants exceeds the available appropriation, as determined by the
15 commission, the commission shall prioritize the applicants identified
16 as independent as determined by the Free Application for Federal
17 Student Aid (FAFSA).
2025 IN 1514—LS 7507/DI 110