HB 5239 — AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE PATH PROGRAM AND AMENDING THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGIATE AWARENESS AND PREPARATION PROGRAM.

Substitute House ofBill Representatives File No.

6315239 GeneralPublic AssemblyAct FebruaryNo. Session, 2024Reprint of File Nos.

17924-117 andAN 609)ACT SubstituteESTABLISHING HouseTHE BillPATH No.PROGRAM AND AMENDING THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGIATE AWARENESS AND PREPARATION PROGRAM.

5239 As Amended by House Amendment Schedule "A" Approved by the Legislative Commissioner May 1, 2024 AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE PATH PROGRAM AND AMENDING THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGIATE AWARENESS AND PREPARATION PROGRAM.

For the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2025, and each fiscal year thereafter, the office shall allocate not more than one hundred thousand dollars, within available appropriations, to award grants to any nonprofit community-based organization in the state that provides assistance to students who reside in the state and are in grade eleven or twelve with (1) completing applications to postsecondary education programs, (2) completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or an application for institutionalfinancialaidestablishedpursuanttosection10a-161dofthe general statutes, including, but not limited to, through informational sHB5239events /and Filepresentations No.concerning such financial aid applications, and (3) securing education scholarships and grants to finance attendance in a postsecondary education program.

631(b) sHB5239The FileOffice of Higher Education shall award grants under the Substitute House Bill No.

6315239 eventsPATH andprogram presentationson concerninga suchcompetitive financialbasis aidto applications,any andnonprofit (3)community- securingbased educationorganization scholarshipsthat and(1) grantsprovided the types of assistance specified in subsection (a) of this section during the academic year prior to financethe attendanceyear in which the grant will be awarded, and (2) will provide, cooperatively with the school administrators of a postsecondarypublic educationhigh program.school in the state, such assistance during the academic year for which the grant will be awarded.

(b) The Office of Higher Education shall award grants under the PATH program on a competitive basis to any nonprofit community- based organization that (1) provided the types of assistance specified in subsection (a) of this section during the academic year prior to the year in which the grant will be awarded, and (2) will provide, cooperatively with the school administrators of a public high school in the state, such assistance during the academic year for which the grant will be awarded.

[(a)] (b) As part of the minority advancement program, the Office of sHB5239HigherEducationshallestablishaConnecticut /collegiateawarenessand Filepreparation program to develop linkages with public school systems targeted by the office for the purpose of providing motivation and skills Public Act No.

63124-117 sHB52392 Fileof 3 Substitute House Bill No.

6315239 HigherEducationshallestablishaConnecticut collegiateawarenessand preparation program to develop linkages with public school systems targeted by the office for the purpose of providing motivation and skills development for middle school or high school [underachievers] students who are disadvantaged, including, but not limited to, students from low-income families and prospective first-generation postsecondary education students.

ThisApproved actJune shall5, take2024 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section24-117 13 Julyof 1,3 2024 New section Sec.

2 July 1, 2024 10a-11a sHB5239 / File No.

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631 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $ Constituent Units of Higher GF – Potential See Below See Below Education Revenue Loss Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill creates the Preparation for Academic Transition to Higher Education (PATH) program within the Office of Higher Education (OHE) and allows up to $100,000 annually within the minority advancement program to be used for various PATH grants, beginning in FY 25.

PATH grants will range from $15,000 to $20,000 annually.

This could result in a revenue loss to constituent units of higher education that otherwise would have received a grant through the minority advancement account.

The bill does not result in a cost to the OHE as they have the staff and expertise necessary to establish the program.

House “A” eliminatestheoriginalbillanditsassociated fiscalimpact, and results in the impact described above.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to the number of grants and level of funding within the minority advancement account.

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631 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5239 (as amended by House "A")* AN ACT EXPANDING THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGIATE AWARENESS AND PREPARATION PROGRAM.

SUMMARY This bill requires the Connecticut collegiate awareness and preparation program (ConnCAP), which is part of the Office of Higher Education’s (OHE’s) Minority Advancement Program, to target disadvantaged students, including low-income and first-generation college students, rather than “underachievers” as under current law.

Under the bill, a “collegiate awareness and preparation program” is a program that provides outreach and services to middle school and high schoolstudents to prepare themto successfully complete postsecondary education at a higher education institution.

The bill requires OHE, as part of its Minority Advancement Program, to establish the Preparation for Academic Transition to a Higher Education program (PATH).

Beginning FY 25, the bill also requires OHE, within available appropriations, to annually award grants up to $100,000 to any nonprofit community-based organization in Connecticut that provides assistance to 11th and 12th grade students who live in the state with the following:

1.

completing applications to postsecondary education programs;

2.

completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or an application for institutional financial aid for students lacking legal immigration status, including through informational events and presentations about financial aid applications;

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