HB 140: "An Act establishing a tuition waiver and voucher program for eligible students who were placed in foster care by the state; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 140 01 "An Act establishing a tuition waiver and voucher program for eligible students who 02 were placed in foster care by the state; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 14.43 is amended by adding new sections to read: 05 Article 3A. Tuition Waiver and Fee Voucher Programs for Eligible Students Who Were 06 in Foster Care. 07 Sec. 14.43.087. Tuition waiver program and eligibility. (a) A person 08 enrolled as a student in good standing in a state-supported postsecondary or vocational 09 education program is entitled to a waiver of undergraduate tuition of not more than 10 $5,000 a year if the person was ordered committed to the custody of the Department of 11 Health and Social Services under AS 47.10.080(c) or AS 47.12.120(b)(3), was placed 12 in a foster home, and is otherwise eligible under (b) of this section. 13 (b) A person is eligible for a tuition waiver under (a) of this section if the 14 person
01 (1) applies on a form approved by the state-supported postsecondary 02 school or vocational program before June 30 of the year of attendance; 03 (2) is under 23 years of age; 04 (3) is recommended by the Department of Health and Social Services 05 on the basis that the person was 16 years of age or older while in foster care in the 06 state; 07 (4) is a resident of the state; 08 (5) is accepted for full-time attendance at a state-supported 09 postsecondary or vocational education program; 10 (6) has demonstrated financial need; 11 (7) has submitted a completed application for state and available 12 federal financial aid; and 13 (8) has submitted a completed application for at least one additional 14 scholarship. 15 (c) A maximum of 15 tuition waivers shall be granted each year by state- 16 supported postsecondary schools and vocational programs. 17 (d) A person who is granted a tuition waiver under this section is entitled to a 18 tuition waiver for eight semesters of attendance at a state-supported postsecondary 19 school or vocational program or until a degree is awarded, whichever first occurs, if 20 the person 21 (1) continues to be enrolled as a full-time student at a state-supported 22 postsecondary school or vocational program; 23 (2) maintains a grade point average of 2.0 or higher; 24 (3) complies with the code of conduct for the school or program; and 25 (4) meets state financial aid eligibility standards. 26 (e) A person who is granted a tuition waiver at a state-supported 27 postsecondary school or program may transfer the waiver to a different state-supported 28 postsecondary school or program if the person remains eligible for the waiver under 29 this section. 30 (f) An application for and documentation related to a tuition waiver that 31 identifies an applicant shall be maintained as a confidential record, and a copy of the
01 record may only be made available to the public after personal identifying information 02 is deleted. 03 (g) In this section, "tuition" means the charges imposed by a state-supported 04 postsecondary school or vocational program for enrollment at the school or program; 05 the term does not include other fees or the costs of books, housing, meals, and 06 transportation. 07 Sec. 14.43.089. Fee voucher program and eligibility. (a) In addition to a 08 tuition waiver under AS 14.43.087, a person enrolled as a student in good standing in 09 a state-supported postsecondary or vocational education program is entitled to a fee 10 voucher for undergraduate fees, housing, meals, and other education-related expenses 11 if the person was ordered committed to the custody of the Department of Health and 12 Social Services under AS 47.10.080(c) or AS 47.12.120(b)(3), was placed in a foster 13 home, and is otherwise eligible under AS 47.05.310(b). 14 (b) A state-supported postsecondary school or vocational education program 15 shall accept fee vouchers as though they were cash from an eligible student for 16 education-related expenses and, within 60 days after receiving a voucher, present the 17 voucher for reimbursement by the Department of Health and Social Services. 18 (c) The identity of a person presenting a voucher under this section is 19 confidential. 20 * Sec. 2. AS 47.05 is amended by adding new sections to read: 21 Article 3. Postsecondary Education Support for Foster Children. 22 Sec. 47.05.300. Tuition waiver program. (a) A person enrolled as a student 23 in good standing in a state-supported postsecondary or vocational education program 24 is entitled to a waiver of undergraduate tuition of not more than $5,000 a year if the 25 person was ordered committed to the custody of the department under 26 AS 47.10.080(c) or AS 47.12.120(b)(3), was placed in a foster home, and is otherwise 27 eligible under AS 14.43.087. 28 (b) The department shall provide written notice of the eligibility criteria and 29 application procedure for the tuition waiver program to each person whom the 30 department placed in a foster home and who resided in a foster home until the person 31 was at least 16 years of age.
01 (c) At the request of a person who was sent a notice under (b) of this section, 02 the department shall provide a confidential recommendation to a state-supported 03 postsecondary school or vocational program. 04 (d) The department may adopt regulations necessary to carry out this program. 05 Sec. 47.05.310. Education voucher program. (a) An education voucher 06 program is established in the department for the support of postsecondary education 07 for persons who were ordered committed to the custody of the department under 08 AS 47.10.080(c) or AS 47.12.120(b)(3) and placed in a foster home for at least six 09 consecutive months. The program shall be funded through federal grant funds made 10 available for that purpose. 11 (b) A person is eligible for a voucher under this section if the person 12 (1) submits an application on a form approved by the department 13 before June 30 of the year of attendance at a state-supported postsecondary school or 14 vocational education program; 15 (2) is under 23 years of age; 16 (3) was 16 years of age or older while in foster care in the state; 17 (4) is a resident of the state; 18 (5) is accepted for full-time attendance at a state-supported 19 postsecondary or vocational education program; 20 (6) has demonstrated financial need; 21 (7) has a high school diploma or its equivalent; and 22 (8) has submitted a participant agreement and budget worksheet on 23 forms provided by the department. 24 (c) A voucher provided under the program established under this section may 25 only be used for payment of fees and costs of books, housing, meals, and other 26 education-related expenses approved by the department for attendance at a state- 27 supported postsecondary school or vocational education program. 28 (d) Applications and related documentation provided under this program are 29 confidential. 30 (e) Vouchers provided under this program to an eligible person shall be 31 prorated to cover eligible costs of as many persons as possible for eight semesters or
01 until a degree is awarded to the person, whichever first occurs. 02 (f) The department may adopt regulations necessary to carry out this program. 03 Sec. 47.05.329. Definition. In AS 47.05.300 - 47.05.329, "department" means 04 the Department of Health and Social Services. 05 * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).