Bill Text: MI HB5069 | 2015-2016 | 98th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Veterans; benefits; funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) employment opportunities; provide for. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-01 - Printed Bill Filed 11/12/2015 [HB5069 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2015-HB5069-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL No. 5069
November 10, 2015, Introduced by Reps. Dianda, Smiley, Chirkun, Love, Irwin, McBroom, Hughes and Lane and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A bill to establish an educational grant program for eligible
resident veterans who are enrolled in certain science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses of study at public
community colleges and universities in this state; to provide for
the administration of the program; to create the battlefield to
STEM education grant fund; and to provide for the powers and duties
of certain state governmental officers and entities.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"battlefield to STEM education grant act".
Sec. 3. As used in this act:
(a) "Academic year" means the period from September 1 of a
calendar year to August 31 of the next calendar year.
(b) "Battlefield to STEM education grant" means a grant
awarded by the department under section 5.
(c) "Community college" means a community college organized
under the community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL 389.1 to
389.195, or under part 25 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451,
MCL 380.1601 to 380.1607.
(d) "Department" means the department of treasury.
(e) "Eligible expenses" means all of the following:
(i) Tuition and fees charged by a state educational
institution.
(ii) For a student attending a state educational institution,
the cost of attendance, expenses for books, supplies,
transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses, including a
reasonable allowance for the documented rental or purchase of a
personal computer, as described in 20 USC 1087ll(2), as determined
by the department.
(f) "Fiscal year" means the fiscal year of this state.
(g) "Fund" means the battlefield to STEM education grant fund
created under section 11.
(h) "Public university" means a university described in
section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of
1963.
(i) "Qualified STEM program" means a STEM designated course of
study leading to a bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or
postsecondary certificate at a state educational institution.
(j) "State educational institution" means a degree- or
certificate-granting public university or community college in this
state.
(k) "STEM designated course of study" means an educational
program focused on 1 or more of the disciplines listed on the STEM-
designated degree program list maintained by the United States
Department of Homeland Security or 1 or more of the applied health
science disciplines, including, but not limited to, nursing,
physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
(l) "Veteran" means an individual who meets 1 or more of the
following:
(i) Has served on active duty with the armed forces of the
United States, including a reserve or National Guard component of
the armed forces of the United States, for at least 180 days and
was discharged or released from active duty with other than a
dishonorable discharge.
(ii) Was discharged or released from active duty with the
armed forces of the United States because of a service-connected
disability.
Sec. 5. (1) The battlefield to STEM education grant program is
established. The department shall administer the battlefield to
STEM education grant program.
(2) The department shall do all of the following:
(a) Award grants to eligible veterans under this act.
(b) Develop a grant agreement to be entered into by a grant
recipient and the department that contains the terms of a grant
made under this act and the rights and obligations of the grant
recipient and the department.
(c) Conduct periodic audits of grant recipients to ensure
compliance with the terms of the grant agreement and take necessary
steps to enforce the terms of the grant agreement.
(d) Promulgate any rules that it determines are necessary to
implement and administer this act under the administrative
procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.
Sec. 7. Beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year, the
department shall award a grant under this act to a veteran if the
department determines that he or she meets all of the following
eligibility criteria:
(a) Continuously resided in this state for the 12 months
immediately preceding the date of his or her application and is not
a resident of any other state.
(b) Received a high school diploma from a school district,
nonpublic school, or home school located in this state or
successfully completed the general educational development (GED)
test and received a GED certificate from this state.
(c) Has been enrolled in and attending for at least 1 year a
qualified STEM program and has maintained at least a 2.0 grade
point average in that program.
(d) Continues to be enrolled in and intends to continue
attending that qualified STEM program for the academic year for
which he or she seeks a grant under this act.
(e) Signs a written grant agreement with the department.
(f) Is in compliance with this act and the rules promulgated
under this act.
(g) Meets any other eligibility criteria established in rules
promulgated by the department under section 5.
Sec. 9. All of the following apply to the award of a
battlefield to STEM education grant under this act:
(a) For an academic year, the amount of the grant is 1 of the
following:
(i) For an eligible veteran attending a qualified STEM program
full-time during that year, $5,000.00.
(ii) For an eligible veteran attending a qualified STEM
program less than full-time during that year, a pro rata amount
proportionate to the amount awarded to a full-time student under
subparagraph (i).
(b) A grant receipt shall use the grant money he or she
receives in an academic year to pay for his or her tuition and fees
at the state educational institution. If the amount of his or her
grant exceeds the amount of his or her tuition and fees, the grant
recipient may use the grant money to pay other eligible expenses
related to that academic year. If the amount of his or her grant
exceeds the amount of his or her tuition and fees and other
eligible expenses in an academic year, the grant recipient shall
return the remaining balance to the department.
(c) A grant recipient may not receive a grant in more than 4
academic years.
(d) The department shall disburse a grant recipient's grant
money to the state educational institution in which he or she is
enrolled on his or her behalf, according to a payment procedure
established by the department by rule.
(e) The annual cost of the total number of grants paid in a
fiscal year shall not exceed the amount appropriated by the
legislature for battlefield to STEM education grants in that fiscal
year. If there are not sufficient funds appropriated by the
legislature to provide each eligible veteran with a grant in the
amount to which he or she is eligible in an academic year, the
department shall establish a maximum grant level for that academic
year. In any fiscal year, the department may adjust the amount of a
battlefield to STEM education grant available to eligible veterans,
based upon its determination of available resources and amounts
appropriated.
Sec. 11. (1) The battlefield to STEM education grant fund is
created within the state treasury.
(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from
any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall
direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit
to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.
(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall
remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.
(4) The department of treasury shall be the administrator of
the fund for auditing purposes.
(5) The department of treasury shall expend money from the
fund, upon appropriation, only for purposes of awarding battlefield
to STEM education grants under this act.
Sec. 13. By November 1 of each year, the department shall
submit a report on its activities under this act to the senate and
house fiscal agencies and the state budget director. The report
shall contain at least the number of battlefield to STEM education
grants awarded, the maximum amount of a battlefield to STEM
education grant paid, and the total amount paid out for battlefield
to STEM education grants in the immediately preceding fiscal year.
