Legislature(2009 - 2010)
2010-04-17 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2010-04-17 Senate Journal Page 2451 SB 224 Senator Ellis moved for the adoption of the following Letter of Intent for CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 224(FIN) "An Act relating to the AlaskAdvantage education grant program; relating to professional student exchange program availability; establishing the Alaska merit scholarship program and relating to the program; relating to student records; making conforming amendments; establishing a Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Task Force; establishing an advisory task force on higher education and career readiness in the legislative branch of government; and providing for an effective date": Letter of Intent It is the intent of the Senate to establish a scholarship program with the following provisions. All funding and the Alaska Merit Scholarship program will go into effect July 1, 2010. The program goes into effect for students who graduate in the Spring semester of 2010. Sec. 14.43.825. Maximum annual awards. (a) The maximum annual awards for the Alaska merit scholarship program scholarships are as follows: (1) the first award level is $4,755 and requires a 3.5 grade-point average or above and a very high score on a college entrance examination; (2) the second award level is $3,566 and requires a 3.0 grade- point average or above and a high score on a college entrance examination; (3) the third award level is $2,378 and requires a 2.5 grade-point average or above and a moderately high score on a college entrance examination. Appropriations to the Alaska Merit Scholarship Program The commission shall distribute not more than $7,000,000 or, if available funding from appropriations and other sources is less than that amount, the full amount available in grant awards on behalf of eligible students under AS 14.43.810. Payments shall be made directly to the postsecondary or lending institution if feasible. If available funds are insufficient to fully fund grants to 2010-04-17 Senate Journal Page 2452 eligible students, the commission shall distribute funds to eligible applicants on a pro rata basis. It is the intent of the Legislature that the subsection above will be repealed June 30, 2011 Appropriations to AlaskAdvantage Grant Program The commission shall distribute not more than $3,000,000 or, if available funding from appropriations and other sources is less than that amount, the full amount available in grant awards on behalf of eligible students under AS 14.43.415. Payments shall be made directly to the postsecondary or lending institution if feasible. If available funds are insufficient to fully fund grants to eligible students, the commission shall distribute funds to eligible applicants on a pro rata basis. It is the intent of the Legislature that the subsection above will be repealed June 30, 2011 Without objection, the Senate Letter of Intent was adopted. The question being: "Shall CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 224(FIN) "An Act relating to the AlaskAdvantage education grant program; relating to professional student exchange program availability; establishing the Alaska merit scholarship program and relating to the program; relating to student records; making conforming amendments; establishing a Joint Legislative Higher Education Scholarship Task Force; establishing an advisory task force on higher education and career readiness in the legislative branch of government; and providing for an effective date" pass the Senate?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSSB 224(FIN) Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Dates YEAS: 15 NAYS: 0 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 5 Yeas: Davis, Egan, Ellis, Hoffman, Huggins, Kookesh, McGuire, Menard, Meyer, Olson, Paskvan, Stedman, Stevens, Thomas, Wielechowski Absent: Bunde, Coghill, Dyson, French, Wagoner and so, CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 224(FIN) passed the Senate. 2010-04-17 Senate Journal Page 2453 Senator Ellis moved and asked unanimous consent that the vote on the passage of the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clauses. Without objection, it was so ordered and the bill was referred to the Secretary for engrossment.