2023 -- H 5320

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LC000462

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH

AND FAMILIES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

     Introduced By: Representatives Place, Rea, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 107.1

RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

     16-107.1-1. Short Title.

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Department of Children,

Youth and Families Scholarship Program”.

     16-107.1-2. Establishment of scholarship program.

     The general assembly shall annually appropriate the funds necessary to implement the

purposes of this chapter. Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated to support

and advance the Rhode Island department of children, youth and families scholarship program. In

addition to appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations may be accepted into the

scholarship program.

     16-107.1-3. Definitions.

     When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

     (1) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form;

     (2) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in

order to enroll in classes, and for room and board, textbooks, program fees that may exist in some

majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses or travel;

     (3) "Recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island College who qualifies to

receive the Rhode Island department of children, youth and families scholarship pursuant to § 16-

107.1-5;

     (4) "Scholarship program" means the Rhode Island department of children, youth and

families scholarship program that is established pursuant to § 16-107.1-2; and

     (5) "State" means the State of Rhode Island.

     16-107.1-4. Administration of scholarship program.

     (a) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or

their respective equivalent offices, at Rhode Island College, shall administer the scholarship

program for recipient students in the care and custody of the department of children, youth and

families, who meet the eligibility requirements in this chapter.

     (b) An award of the scholarship program shall cover the cost of tuition, room and board,

and mandatory fees, less federal and all other financial aid monies available to the recipient student.

     (c) The scholarship program is limited to one award per student as required by § 16-107.1-

5.

     16-107.1-5. Eligibility for scholarship.

     (a) Beginning with the students who enroll at Rhode Island College in the fall of 2023, to

be considered for the scholarship, a student:

     (1) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by

the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified

from time to time ("residency policy"); provided, that, the student must have satisfied the high

school graduation/equivalency diploma condition prior to reaching nineteen (19) years of age;

provided, further, that in addition to the option of meeting the requirement by receiving a high

school equivalency diploma as described in the residency policy, the student can satisfy the

condition by receiving other certificates or documents of equivalent nature from the state or its

municipalities as recognized by applicable regulations promulgated by the council on elementary

and secondary education;

     (2) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend, Rhode Island College on a full-time

basis by the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester immediately

following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma;

     (3) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification by the deadline

prescribed by Rhode Island College for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding

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under the scholarship program;

     (4) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis; and

     (5) Must not have already received an award under this scholarship program.

     16-107.1-6. Rules and procedures.

     The council on postsecondary education is hereby authorized to promulgate rules to

effectuate the purposes of this chapter and Rhode Island College shall establish appeal procedures

for the award, denial, or revocation of funding under the scholarship program. The rules shall be

promulgated in accordance with § 16-59-4.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH

AND FAMILIES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

***

     This act would provide a scholarship allowing a student in the care and custody of the

department of children, youth and families to attend Rhode Island College without the payment of

tuition and room and board as long as they meet the eligibility requirements of the program and the

admission criteria of Rhode Island College.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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