State Legislative Update September 2016

State Legislative Update                                 

September 2016

 

Legislative news from across the SASFAA region, prepared by your 2016-2017 SASFAA Legislative Relations Committee.

Christen Neher – SASFAA Legislative Relations Chair

Ron Gambill – TASFAA Governmental Relations Chair
Mary Kosin – NCASFAA Legislative Advisory Chair
Vanessa Fulton – GASFAA Legislative Affairs Chair
Erin Klarer – KASFAA Legislative Chair
Jennifer Epperson – AASFAA Legislative Relations Chair
Francisco Valines – FASFAA Legislative Relation Chair
Della Bays – VASFAA Government Relations Chair
Michael Moseley – MASFAA Legislative Chair
Joey Derrick – SCASFAA Legislative Relations Chair
Amy Berrier – SASFAA Past President

Alabama

Alabama lottery update: Alabama Lottery Bill Dead for Special Session
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/sponsor_says_alabama_lottery_b.html
Alabama Community College System Merges 3 Schools
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/alabama_community_college_syst_1.html

 

Tennessee

Tennessee’s Drive to 55 programs were developed to meet a goal of 55% of residents attaining a postsecondary education.  The Tennessee Promise Scholarship offers tuition and mandatory fees for two-year programs offered at eligible postsecondary institutions.  Eligible students must maintain full-time enrollment status, participate in a mentoring program and perform 8 hours of community service prior to each term the award is received.

The TCAT Reconnect program provides eligible independent students an award amount up to tuition and mandatory fees toward a certificate or diploma offered at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology.  Enrollment must be continuous with satisfactory academic progress being maintained.

The Tennessee Community College Reconnect program offers funding beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year to eligible independent students who have not attended college for at least 12 months and who previously earned 30 semester hours toward completion of an associate’s degree.  The award covers up to tuition and mandatory fees at a Tennessee community college.

 

South Carolina
The SC Commission on Higher Education has recently posted a helpful summary of South Carolina legislative activity at https://www.che.sc.gov/CHE_Docs/infocntr/legisl/2016/2016_SessionUpdate_06-28-2016.pdf.

 

Kentucky
Discussions are continuing regarding the creation of a new Work-Ready Scholarship in Kentucky. Initially modeled after the Tennessee Promise program, higher education officials, legislators, and executive branch administrators are interested in increasing Kentucky’s workforce participation rate and student financial aid as a resource to do so. If your state has experience with “Promise” or apprenticeship-type programs that you would like to share, please contact Erin Klarer at eklarer@kheaa.com or 502-819-0023.

 

Georgia

Georgia National Guard – Service Cancelable loan
The GNG SCL was established as an incentive for qualified young men and women to join the Georgia National Guard and to retain skilled, productive citizens within the state. The GNG SCL was created beginning with the 2002-2003 Award Year and reestablished in 2016-2017. State revenues provide funding for this program, as authorized each year by the Georgia General Assembly. The program is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFA) in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-3-374.
Recipients have already begun to receive awards this August 2016.
Resource: GSFA Regulations – 3300

 

Virginia

Virginia in-state undergraduate students saw the lowest tuition and fee increase in 15 years.  The average increase across the Commonwealth was 3.6% for both 2-year and 4-year public institutions.  For a more in depth look at tuition and fees in Virginia see the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s 2016-17 Tuition and Fees Report at http://schev.edu/index/reports/schev-reports/2016-17-tuition-and-fees-report .