HB 1886 — An Act providing for the Pennsylvania Promise Pilot Program; prescribing powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency; providing for scholarships for tuition and fees, scholarships for room and board and aid for adult reeducation; and establishing the Pennsylvania Promise Pilot Program Fund.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

2365 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

2419 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

DAVIS, GIRAL, ABNEY, HOHENSTEIN, SOLOMON, SCHLOSSBERG, MADDEN, BRENNAN, MAYES, BOYD, KHAN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, BOROWSKI, PARKER, SANCHEZ, BULLOCK, BENHAM, FRANKEL, WEBSTER, CEPHAS, STURLA, DELLOSO, SMITH-WADE-EL, HANBIDGE, HARKINS, KINSEY, SCOTT, McNEILL, KENYATTA, BURGOS, DALEY, DEASY, POWELL, KINKEAD, GUENST, SHUSTERMAN, CIRESICIRESI, GREEN AND GREEN,TAKAC, DECEMBER 6, 2023 REFERREDAS TOREPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, DECEMBER 6,12, 2023 AN ACT ProprescribingProviding powersfor and duties of the Pennsylvania HigherPromise EducationPilot AssistanceProgram; Agency;

prescribing powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency;

(7) Has applied for all available Federal Pell grants, <-- State grants and institution grants.

(3) Is less than 24 years of age or is an active member 20230HB1886PN236520230HB1886PN2419 - 2 - of a branch of the armed services at the time of application to the agency for a scholarship under section 6 or 7.

(7) Has applied for all available Federal Pell grants, <-- State grants and institution grants.

"INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION." AN <-- INSTITUTION OPERATED NOT FOR PROFIT, LOCATED IN AND INCORPORATED OR CHARTERED BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND ENTITLED TO CONFER DEGREES AS SPECIFIED IN 24 PA.C.S.

§ 6505 (RELATING TO POWER TO CONFER DEGREES) AND TO APPLY ITSELF THE DESIGNATION "COLLEGE" OR "UNIVERSITY" AS PROVIDED FOR BY THE STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UNDER 24 PA.C.S.

CH.

65 (RELATING TO PRIVATE COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND SEMINARIES).

20230HB1886PN2419 - 3 - (1) A community college.

"Part-time(5) student."AN AnINDEPENDENT individualINSTITUTION enrolledOF inHIGHER anEDUCATION. institution of higher education and registered for less than 12 credits per semester or equivalent enrollment as set by the agency.

20230HB1886PN2365<-- -"Part-time 3student." -An "Program."individual Theenrolled Pennsylvaniain Promisean Pilotinstitution Programof establishedhigher undereducation thisand act.registered for less than 12 credits per semester or equivalent enrollment as set by the agency.

"Program." The Pennsylvania Promise Pilot Program established under this act.

The agency, at its discretion, may increase the 20230HB1886PN2419 - 4 - maximum amount.

20230HB1886PN2365 - 4 - Section 5.

(2) No more than $125,000,000 from the fund to eligible 20230HB1886PN2419 - 5 - students attending a State-owned institution in accordance with sections 6 and 7.

(4) NoNO moreMORE thanTHAN $35,000,000$50,000,000 fromFROM theTHE fundFUND toTO eligibleELIGIBLE students<-- attendingSTUDENTS aATTENDING communityAN college.INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 6 AND 7.

(g)(4) Reallocation.--Notwithstanding(5) subsectionNo (f),more thethan agency$35,000,000 may allocate money from the fund to <-- eligible students 20230HB1886PN2365 - 5 - attending ana institutioncommunity ofcollege. higher education in accordance with sections 6 and 7.

(g) Reallocation.--Notwithstanding subsection (f), the agency may allocate money from the fund to eligible students attending an institution of higher education in accordance with sections 6 and 7.

(i) Interfund transfer.--No later than July 1, 2024, the sum of $225,000,000 $275,000,000 shall be transferred from the <-- General Fund to the fund.

(b) Scholarship at State-owned or State-related <-- institution.--An eligible student may receive a scholarship for tuition and fees at a State-owned institution or State-related institution for the academic year in an amount not to exceed the 20230HB1886PN2419 - 6 - outstanding tuition and fees after Federal, State and institution grants have been applied, if the eligible student:

(B) SCHOLARSHIP AT STATE-OWNED OR STATE-RELATED INSTITUTION <-- OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.--AN ELIGIBLE STUDENT MAY RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP FOR TUITION AND FEES AT A STATE-OWNED INSTITUTION, STATE-RELATED INSTITUTION OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP MAY NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF THE MAXIMUM UNDERGRADUATE IN-STATE TUITION RATE ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR RENDERING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AS ENUMERATED IN ARTICLE XX-A OF THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949, UNLESS THE AGENCY, IN ITS DISCRETION, INCREASES THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT, OR THE OUTSTANDING TUITION AND FEES AFTER FEDERAL, STATE AND INSTITUTION GRANTS HAVE BEEN APPLIED, IF THE ELIGIBLE STUDENT:

(d) Review and approval.-- 20230HB1886PN2365 - 6 - (1) The agency shall review all applications submitted under this section.

(2) The agency may approve an application if the application meets the requirements under subsection (b) or 20230HB1886PN2419 - 7 - (c) and if the eligible student submitting the application meets the requirements of this act.

(3) An eligible student at a State-owned institution oror, <-- State-related institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF <-- HIGHER EDUCATION who has not exceeded the limitation in subsection (i) may reapply for the scholarship for tuition and fees if the eligible student:

20230HB1886PN2365 - 7 - (iii) While attending a State-owned institution oror, <-- State-related institution,institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF <-- HIGHER EDUCATION, has a total annual household income 20230HB1886PN2419 - 8 - that does not exceed $200,000.

(ii) While attending a State-owned institution oror, <-- State-related institution,institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF <-- HIGHER EDUCATION, has completed four academic years or has earned a bachelor's degree.

(2) A student who is otherwise eligible for a scholarship for tuition and fees under this section may not receive the scholarship if the local sponsor has not made the 20230HB1886PN2365 - 8 - payment required under section 1913-A(a)(2) of the act of <-- 20230HB1886PN2419 - 9 - March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.

(b) Scholarship at State-owned institution oror, State-related institution.--An<-- institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.--An <-- eligible student at a State-owned institution oror, State-related <-- institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION may <-- receive a scholarship for room and board for the academic year after Federal, State and institution grants have been applied if the eligible student:

20230HB1886PN2419 - 10 - (2) The agency may approve an application if the 20230HB1886PN2365 - 9 - application meets the requirements under subsection (b) or (c) and if the eligible student meets the requirements of this act.

(e) Distribution of scholarship at State-owned institution oror, State-related institution.--Ifinstitution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF <-- HIGHER EDUCATION.--If an eligible student has been approved for a scholarship for room and board, the agency shall, upon receipt of an outstanding balance from the State-owned institution oror, <-- State-related institution,institution OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER <-- EDUCATION, pay the outstanding balance for room and board owed by the eligible student directly to the institution.

(g) Limitation on scholarship.-- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and notwithstanding any provision of this act to the contrary, the agency may not issue a scholarship for room and board in excess of the outstanding balance received from a State-owned institution oror, State-related institution.institution OR INDEPENDENT <-- INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

(3) A student who is otherwise eligible for a scholarship for room and board under this section may not receive the scholarship if the local sponsor as defined under section 1901-A(2) of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, 20230HB1886PN2419 - 11 - No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, has not made the payment required under section 1913-A(a)(2) of the Public School Code of 1949.

20230HB1886PN2365 - 10 - (h) Renewal.-- (1) A scholarship for room and board may not exceed one academic year.

(3) An eligible student who has not exceeded the limitation in subsection (j) may reapply for the scholarship for room and board if the student is enrolled full time at a State-owned institution oror, State-related institution OR <-- INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION or is enrolled full time or part time at a community college and:

(i) is making satisfactory academic progress,progress AS <-- DETERMINED BY THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION, unless the eligible student is in the first year of college;