10 LC 28 4975

Senate Bill 341

By: Senators Harp of the 29th, Weber of the 40th and Staton of the 18th

AS PASSED SENATE

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Part 7 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to HOPE scholarships and grants, so as to provide that a person shall be a legal resident of Georgia in order to be eligible for a HOPE GED voucher; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Part 7 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to HOPE scholarships and grants, is amended by revising Code Section 20-3-519.6, relating to HOPE GED vouchers, as follows:

"20-3-519.6.

(a) To be eligible for a HOPE GED voucher, a student attending an eligible public postsecondary institution shall meet residency requirements by meeting the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia Student Finance Commission which shall be based upon the in-state tuition policy of the board of regents and the in-state tuition guidelines set by the Technical College System of Georgia.

(b) To be eligible for a HOPE GED voucher, a student attending an eligible private postsecondary institution shall meet residency requirements by meeting the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

(a)(c) Subject to the amounts appropriated by the General Assembly and provisions relating to the scholarship shortfall reserve subaccount in Code Section 50-27-13, a HOPE GED voucher in the amount of $500.00 shall be awarded once to each student receiving a general educational development (GED) diploma awarded by the Department of Technical and Adult Education, now known as the Technical College System of Georgia, after June 30, 1993, shall be valid at any eligible postsecondary institution in Georgia for 24 months from the date of issuance.

(b)(d) An otherwise eligible student receiving a HOPE GED voucher under this Code section is eligible for a HOPE scholarship as a sophomore, junior, or senior student."

SECTION 2.

This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 3.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.