Bill Text: MI SB0267 | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Higher education: financial aid; Michigan opportunity initiative; provide for. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-16 - Referred To Committee On Appropriations [SB0267 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-SB0267-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL No. 267
April 16, 2019, Introduced by Senator ANANICH and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A bill to establish a tuition assistance program for certain
undergraduate students in this state attending certain colleges,
universities, and junior and community colleges; to provide for the
administration of the tuition assistance program; and to prescribe
certain powers and duties of certain state officers, agencies, and
departments.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Michigan opportunity initiative act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Continuous enrollment" means enrollment in at least 2
semesters or the equivalent in terms or quarters, as determined by
the department, during each academic year for a number of
consecutive academic years.
(b) "Department" means the department of talent and economic
development.
(c) "Eligible community college" means an accredited junior or
community college that meets all of the following:
(i) Is a junior or community college established under the
community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL 389.1 to 389.195,
or part 25 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1601 to
380.1607, or is an independent nonprofit junior or community
college in this state.
(ii) Participates in the Michigan transfer agreement program
referred to in sections 210b and 265a of the school aid act of
1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1810b and 388.1865a, or other similar
program, as required by the department.
(iii) Participates in the success-coach program described in
section 4(h).
(iv) Complies with applicable restraints on fee and tuition
rate increases, if any, provided for in article II of the school
aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1801 to 388.1830.
(d) "Eligible university" means an institution that meets both
of the following:
(i) Is one of the following:
(A) A state university described in section 4, 5, or 6 of
article VIII of the state constitution of 1963.
(B) An independent nonprofit college or university in this
state that grants 4-year degrees.
(ii) Complies with applicable restraints on fee and tuition
rate increases, if any, provided for in article III of the school
aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1836 to 388.1891.
(e) "Full-time student" means a student enrolled in at least
20 semester credit hours in an academic year or the equivalent
number of term or quarter credit hours in an academic year, as
determined by the department.
(f) "Gift aid" means scholarships or grants, other than
financial assistance provided under the Michigan promise zone
authority act, 2008 PA 549, MCL 390.1661 to 390.1679, from sources
that do not require repayment. The term does not include student
loans, work-study awards, or qualified withdrawals made from
education savings accounts to pay higher education expenses
pursuant to the Michigan education savings program act, 2000 PA
161, MCL 390.1471 to 390.1486.
(g) "High school equivalency certificate" means that term as
defined in section 4 of the school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL
388.1604.
(h) "Michigan opportunity initiative student" means a student
admitted to and enrolled in an eligible community college or
eligible university and receiving tuition assistance under this
act.
Sec. 3. The department shall administer the Michigan
opportunity initiative program in the following phases:
(a) Phase I, as provided for in section 4, which the
department shall implement not more than 30 days after the
effective date of this act.
(b) Phase II, as provided for in section 5, which the
department shall implement after Phase I is underway on a date to
be determined by the department.
Sec. 4. The department shall administer Phase I of the
Michigan opportunity initiative program, subject to the following:
(a) To be eligible for tuition assistance in Phase I of the
program, an individual must meet all of the following conditions by
the date of his or her college enrollment described in subparagraph
(iii):
(i) Be a resident of this state for at least the immediately
preceding year.
(ii) Have graduated from high school with a diploma or
certificate of completion or achieved a high school equivalency
certificate.
(iii) Be enrolled as a full-time student in a degree or
certificate program at an eligible community college not later than
the academic year following his or her completion of high school or
receipt of a high school equivalency certificate.
(b) Students applying for tuition assistance in Phase I of the
program must complete a Michigan opportunity initiative application
for their initial year of enrollment in accordance with a schedule
determined by the department. Students must also complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid each academic year in which
they seek to receive tuition assistance in Phase I of the program.
(c) To continue to receive tuition assistance in Phase I of
the program, a student must do all of the following:
(i) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (e), maintain
continuous enrollment as a full-time student in a degree or
certificate program at an eligible community college.
(ii) Maintain satisfactory academic standing as determined by
the eligible community college and department rules.
(iii) Participate in the success-coaches program described in
subdivision (h).
(d) Subject to appropriation, the annual amount of tuition
assistance to be awarded to a student in Phase I of the program is
equal to a student's cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the
eligible community college attended less all other gift aid. Gift
aid shall be credited first to the student's tuition and mandatory
fees. If awarded, tuition assistance shall be paid to the eligible
community college for credit to the student's account.
(e) A Michigan opportunity initiative student participating in
Phase I of the program who takes a leave of absence from an
eligible community college due to a medical or family hardship may,
subject to department approval, continue to receive tuition
assistance upon resuming the student's education at an eligible
community college if the student continues to meet all applicable
eligibility requirements. A leave of absence under this subdivision
does not disrupt the requirement of continuous enrollment under
subdivision (c)(i) and does not count toward the 3-year limitation
described in subdivision (f)(i).
(f) A student is eligible for tuition assistance in Phase I of
the program until the occurrence of either of the following:
(i) Subject to subdivision (e), 3 years have passed since the
student became a Michigan opportunity initiative student at an
eligible community college.
(ii) The student has earned 60 semester credits or the
equivalent number of term or quarter credits at an eligible
community college, as determined by the department.
(g) A student who participates in Phase I of the Michigan
opportunity initiative program may transfer from 1 eligible
community college to another eligible community college and
continue in the program if the student continues to meet all
eligibility requirements.
(h) The department shall establish a success-coach program at
each eligible community college that participates in Phase I of the
Michigan opportunity initiative program. The success-coach program
must include campus-based advisors who will provide Michigan
opportunity initiative students at eligible community colleges with
support services aimed at helping students succeed with their
studies and formulate and follow effective academic and career
plans. The department shall determine the qualifications for these
advisors, their job duties, processes for hiring and training them,
the number needed for a satisfactory coach-to-student ratio, and
other requirements related to the success-coach program.
Sec. 5. The department shall administer Phase II of the
Michigan opportunity initiative program, subject to the following:
(a) To be eligible for tuition assistance in Phase II of the
program, an individual must meet all of the following conditions by
the date of his or her university enrollment described in
subparagraph (iii):
(i) Be a resident of this state for at least the immediately
preceding year.
(ii) Have graduated from high school with a diploma or
certificate of completion or achieved a high school equivalency
certificate.
(iii) Be enrolled in a 4-year degree program as a full-time
student at an eligible university not later than the academic year
following his or her completion of high school or receipt of a high
school equivalency certificate.
(iv) Have earned a 3.0 grade point average in high school or
the equivalent of a 3.0 test score on the high school equivalency
test taken to obtain the high school equivalency certificate as
defined in section 2(g), as determined by the department.
(v) Be a member of a household with an annual household income
of not more than $80,000.00 under rules promulgated by the
department.
(b) Students applying for tuition assistance in Phase II of
the program must complete a Michigan opportunity initiative
application for their initial year of enrollment in accordance with
a schedule determined by the department. Students must also
complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each academic
year in which they seek to receive tuition assistance in Phase II
of the program.
(c) To continue to receive tuition assistance in Phase II of
the program, a student must do all of the following:
(i) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (f), maintain
continuous enrollment in a 4-year degree program as a full-time
student at an eligible university.
(ii) Maintain satisfactory academic standing as determined by
the eligible university and department rules.
(iii) Continue to be a member of a household with an annual
household income of not more than $80,000.00 under rules
promulgated by the department.
(d) The annual amount of tuition assistance to be awarded to a
student in Phase II of the program must not exceed the lesser of
the following:
(i) The cost of the student's tuition and mandatory fees at
the eligible university attended less all other gift aid.
(ii) $2,500.00.
(e) Awards of tuition assistance in Phase II of the program
are subject to appropriation and shall be awarded on a first-come,
first-served basis if insufficient funds are appropriated for all
eligible students. If awarded, tuition assistance shall be paid to
the eligible university for credit to the student's account.
(f) A Michigan opportunity initiative student participating in
Phase II of the program who takes a leave of absence from an
eligible university due to a medical or family hardship may,
subject to department approval, continue to receive tuition
assistance upon resuming the student's education at an eligible
university if the student continues to meet all applicable
eligibility requirements. A leave of absence under this subdivision
does not disrupt the requirement of continuous enrollment under
subdivision (c)(i) and does not count toward the 2-year limitation
described in subdivision (g)(i).
(g) A student is eligible for tuition assistance in Phase II
of the program until the occurrence of either of the following:
(i) Subject to subdivision (f), 2 years have passed since the
student became a Michigan opportunity initiative student at an
eligible university.
(ii) The student has earned 60 semester credits or the
equivalent number of term or quarter credits, as determined by the
department.
(h) A student who participates in Phase II of the Michigan
opportunity initiative program may transfer from 1 eligible
university to another eligible university and continue in the
program so long as the student continues to meet all eligibility
requirements.
Sec. 6. The department shall promulgate rules to implement
this act pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969,
1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.
Enacting section 1. It is the intent of the legislature that
money in the talent investment fund created in section 8a of the
higher education loan authority act, 1975 PA 222, MCL 390.1158a,
shall be expended, upon appropriation, for the purpose of funding
the Michigan opportunity initiative program established in the
Michigan opportunity initiative act, in accordance with section 8a
of the higher education loan authority act, 1975 PA 222, MCL
390.1158a, which states that money in the talent investment fund,
upon appropriation, shall be expended "for the purpose of enhancing
the economic talent of Michigan residents, increasing access to
academic and technical credentials or certifications, improving
educational opportunities, or other purposes as provided by law".
