New Jersey-2024-S1545-Introduced

An Act expanding the Tuition Aid Grant program, amending N.J.S.18A:71B-20 and N.J.S.18A:71B-21, and supplementing chapter 71B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. the availability of educational opportunity at the college and university level is a critical State interest given the needs of the State for a well-educated work force;

b. the cost of college in New Jersey, as in the nation, continues to grow faster than the rate of inflation;

c. soaring tuition rates threaten to impede student access to a quality higher education;

d. the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program, established in 1968, is a State program that provides grant awards to resident full-time undergraduates attending New Jersey public and private institutions of higher education up to the cost of tuition based on a family's ability to pay;

e. part-time students attending a higher education institution, other than county colleges, are currently ineligible for TAG awards; and

f. expanding the TAG program to include part-time students would demonstrate the State's commitment to student financial aid for those students who are in as much need of financial assistance and are as deserving of an opportunity for a post-secondary education as those students able to attend an institution of higher education on a full-time basis.

2. N.J.S.18A:71B-20 is amended to read as follows:

18A:71B-20. a. A State tuition aid grant shall be awarded annually to each eligible, qualified full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a curriculum leading to a degree or certificate in an eligible institution, or in an institution of higher education in another state, provided that state permits its residents to utilize its state student financial assistance grants in New Jersey institutions of higher education through reciprocity agreements approved by the authority. In no event shall a State tuition aid grant be utilized at an out-of-State institution which is not licensed by that state and accredited by a regional accrediting association recognized by a national accrediting organization. A State tuition aid grant shall also be awarded annually to each eligible, qualified part-time undergraduate student enrolled in a curriculum leading to a degree or certificate in an eligible institution in New Jersey.

b. To each New Jersey resident enrolled as a full-time student and meeting the other requirements for eligibility under this chapter and to each New Jersey resident enrolled as a part-time student, the State shall grant an amount as provided in N.J.S.18A:71B-21. A student shall not be eligible for a grant unless the application is in a form satisfactory to the authority. A student shall not be eligible for grants for more than four and one-half academic years, unless the recipient is enrolled in an undergraduate program regularly requiring five academic years for completion, in which case the authority shall permit five and one-half years of eligibility. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a student receiving aid under the provisions of P.L.1968, c.142 (C.18A:71-28 et seq.) shall be entitled to a sixth year of eligibility. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a county college student who transfers to a four- year institution, or any student who is required to pursue 18 or more credit hours in a remedial or developmental curriculum, as defined by regulations adopted by the authority, is entitled to an additional half year of eligibility. For the purpose of this article, a remedial curriculum shall include only noncredit courses in which a student is directed to enroll by the institution. [Eligibility for tuition aid grants may be extended to part-time students through regulations developed by the authority if funds are separately appropriated for this purpose.] Each period of part-time award status shall be counted toward the maximum allowable period of student eligibility as one-half of the maximum allowable period of full-time student eligibility. A student shall not be eligible for grants unless the student maintains such minimum standards of academic performance as are required by the institution of enrollment. A student who is enrolled in a course leading to a degree in theology or divinity shall not be eligible for a tuition aid grant.

c. A person shall not be awarded a State tuition aid grant unless that person:

(1) satisfies the residency and other requirements provided in article 1 of this part;

(2) has applied for State tuition aid and has been determined by the authority to be eligible for the tuition aid;

(3) has demonstrated financial need for the tuition aid as determined by and in accordance with standards to be established by the authority; and

(4) maintains satisfactory academic progress in accordance with standards established by the authority.

(cf: N.J.S.18A:71B-20)

3. N.J.S.18A:71B-21 is amended to read as follows:

18A:71B-21. a. The amount of a tuition aid grant awarded under this article to any student attending an eligible institution shall be established by the authority, but shall not exceed the maximum amount of tuition normally charged at a public institution of higher education for students attending that institution or 50% of the average tuition normally charged at the independent institutions of higher education for students attending those institutions. As determined by the authority, part-time grant awards shall be prorated against the full-time grant award for the applicable institutional sector. The amount of a State tuition aid grant awarded under this act to any full-time student attending an institution of higher education in any state other than New Jersey pursuant to this section shall not exceed $500 in an academic year. The amount of grant to be paid for each semester or its equivalent shall be based on the financial need for the grant, as determined by standards and procedures established by the authority, and subject to the amount of appropriations available therefor.

b. Appropriations for each program category of full-time tuition aid grants shall be separately made by line item. Appropriations for each program category of part-time tuition aid grants shall be separately made by line item.

c. State tuition aid grants shall be awarded by the authority to all eligible applicants without any limitation on the number to be awarded in any year other than the amount of appropriations available therefor. In the event that the amount appropriated is insufficient for full awards to all eligible applicants, the authority, in consultation with the Commission on Higher Education, shall reduce awards equitably among eligible students according to such procedures and guidelines as it shall establish. Any revisions of procedures and guidelines in effect as of the effective date of this act shall be submitted on or before March 1 of the prebudget year by the executive director of the authority to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee of the Legislature, or its successor, together with supporting information. The revised criteria and guidelines may be approved or disapproved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, at any time; provided that if at the end of a 60-calendar day period after the date on which the revisions are transmitted to the committee, the committee has taken no action, the proposed revised criteria and guidelines shall be deemed to be approved by the committee.

(cf: N.J.S.18A:71B-21)

4. (New section) a. The amount of funds appropriated on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) for full-time tuition aid grants shall not be reduced or diverted to implement the provisions of that act.

b. The amount of funds appropriated on the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) for part-time tuition aid grants for county college students shall not be reduced or diverted to implement the provisions of that act.

5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the 2022-2023 academic year.

STATEMENT

This bill expands the Tuition Aid Grant program to part-time undergraduate students who are enrolled in an eligible institution in New Jersey. The bill provides that part-time grant awards would be prorated against the full-time grant award for public and independent institutions of higher education as determined by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Under the current statute, the amount of a tuition aid grant may not exceed the maximum amount of tuition normally charged at a public institution or 50% of the average tuition normally charged at an independent institution.

Appropriations for each program category of part-time tuition aid grants would be made separately by line item in order to ensure that funding for the part-time tuition aid grants would not lead to a reduction in the funding for the full-time tuition aid grants.