Bill Text: FL S0216 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

---

Bill Title: Tuition and Fee Exemptions

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Failed) 2016-03-11 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education [S0216 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S0216-Comm_Sub.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2016                              CS for SB 216
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Higher Education; and Senators Detert and
       Gaetz
       
       589-03179-16                                           2016216c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to tuition and fee exemptions;
    3         amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; exempting certain students
    4         who were adopted from the Department of Children and
    5         Families or who are or were in the custody of the
    6         department under specified circumstances from paying
    7         tuition and fees to workforce education programs,
    8         Florida College System institutions, and state
    9         universities; requiring Florida College System
   10         institutions and state universities to adopt certain
   11         rules and regulations regarding the exemptions;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   17  read:
   18         1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
   19         (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
   20  tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
   21  provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
   22  institution, or state university:
   23         (a) A student enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
   24  admission program pursuant to s. 1007.271.
   25         (b) A student enrolled in an approved apprenticeship
   26  program, as defined in s. 446.021.
   27         (c) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   28  18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
   29  Families or who, after spending at least 6 months in the custody
   30  of the department after reaching 16 years of age, was placed in
   31  a guardianship by the court. Such exemption includes fees
   32  associated with enrollment in applied academics for adult
   33  education instruction. The exemption remains valid until the
   34  student reaches 28 years of age.
   35         (d) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   36  18 years of age in the custody of a relative or nonrelative
   37  under s. 39.5085 or who was adopted from the Department of
   38  Children and Families after May 5, 1997. The Such exemption
   39  includes fees associated with enrollment in applied academics
   40  for adult education instruction. The exemption remains valid
   41  until the student reaches 28 years of age.
   42         (e) A student who was adopted from the Department of
   43  Children and Families and has not reached 28 years of age. The
   44  exemption includes fees associated with enrollment in applied
   45  academics for adult education instruction.
   46         (f) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   47  18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
   48  Families and who:
   49         1. Is or was placed with a nonrelative pursuant to s.
   50  39.402. The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28
   51  years of age.
   52         2. Is or was placed with a relative who is not or was not a
   53  participant in the Relative Caregiver Program under s. 39.5085.
   54  The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28 years
   55  of age.
   56         (g)(e) A student enrolled in an employment and training
   57  program under the welfare transition program. The regional
   58  workforce board shall pay the state university, Florida College
   59  System institution, or school district for costs incurred for
   60  welfare transition program participants.
   61         (h)(f) A student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
   62  nighttime residence or whose primary nighttime residence is a
   63  public or private shelter designed to provide temporary
   64  residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a
   65  public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as,
   66  a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
   67         (i)(g) A student who is a proprietor, owner, or worker of a
   68  company whose business has been at least 50 percent negatively
   69  financially impacted by the buyout of property around Lake
   70  Apopka by the State of Florida. Such student may receive a fee
   71  exemption only if the student has not received compensation
   72  because of the buyout, the student is designated a Florida
   73  resident for tuition purposes, pursuant to s. 1009.21, and the
   74  student has applied for and been denied financial aid, pursuant
   75  to s. 1009.40, which would have provided, at a minimum, payment
   76  of all student fees. The student is responsible for providing
   77  evidence to the postsecondary education institution verifying
   78  that the conditions of this paragraph have been met, including
   79  supporting documentation provided by the Department of Revenue.
   80  The student must be currently enrolled in, or begin coursework
   81  within, a program area by fall semester 2000. The exemption is
   82  valid for a period of 4 years after the date that the
   83  postsecondary education institution confirms that the conditions
   84  of this paragraph have been met.
   85         (j)(h) Pursuant to s. 402.403, child protection and child
   86  welfare personnel as defined in s. 402.402 who are enrolled in
   87  an accredited bachelor’s degree or master’s degree program in
   88  social work program, provided that the student attains at least
   89  a grade of “B” in all courses for which tuition and fees are
   90  exempted.
   91         (2) Each Florida College System institution may is
   92  authorized to grant student fee exemptions from all fees adopted
   93  by the State Board of Education and the Florida College System
   94  institution board of trustees for up to 54 full-time equivalent
   95  students or 1 percent of its the institution’s total full-time
   96  equivalent enrollment, whichever is greater, at each
   97  institution.
   98         (3) Each Florida College System institution shall adopt
   99  rules and each state university shall adopt regulations to
  100  administer this section. Such rules and regulations must:
  101         (a) Prohibit a restriction on the number of credit hours
  102  which may be earned by a student who is exempt from paying
  103  tuition.
  104         (b) Specify that a student who is exempt from paying
  105  tuition and fees may enroll in remedial courses and college
  106  preparatory courses.
  107         (c) Eliminate limitations on the type of courses in which a
  108  student who is exempt from paying tuition and fees may enroll.
  109         (d) Require the Department of Education, each Florida
  110  College System institution, and each state university to include
  111  information on their respective websites about the tuition and
  112  fees exemption under this section.
  113         (e) Require financial aid officers at Florida College
  114  System institutions and state universities to contact and
  115  provide advice and information to each student who indicates on
  116  a financial aid form that the student may be eligible for a
  117  tuition and fees exemption under this section.
  118         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.