Bill Text: VA HB1280 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program; eligible institutions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-07 - Stricken from docket by Education (22-Y 0-N) [HB1280 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HB1280-Introduced.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §23.1-2911.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§23.1-2911.2. Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back Fund and Program.
A. As used in this section,:
"Eligible institution" means an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education or any public or private historically black college or university in the Commonwealth that offers workforce development certifications and associate degree programming.
"high-demand "High-demand field"
means a discipline or field in which there is a shortage of skilled workers to
fill current and anticipated additional job vacancies.
B. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of providing financial assistance pursuant to subsection C. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Chancellor.
C. The System shall establish the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give
Back Program (G3 Program) for the purpose of providing financial assistance
from the Fund to low-income and middle-income Virginia students who are
enrolled at an eligible institution in
an educational program at an
associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education
that leads to an occupation in a high-demand field.
D. The Virginia Board of Workforce Development, in consultation with the System, the Council, and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, shall make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly, no later than December 1 of each year, for additions or other changes to the high-demand fields that qualify for financial assistance under the G3 Program.
E. In order to be eligible for financial assistance under the
G3 Program, an applicant shall (i) report a total household income that is not
more than 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines established by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services; (ii) be enrolled or accepted for
enrollment, (a) as a full-time student or a part-time student, for a minimum of
six credit hours per semester, in a credit-bearing educational program or (b)
in a noncredit educational program, at an
associate-degree-granting public eligible
institution of higher education that leads
to an occupation in a high-demand field; and (iii) have completed and submitted
applications for any other federal or state student financial aid program for which
the applicant may be eligible.
F. In order to remain eligible for financial assistance under the G3 Program, a participating student shall (i) meet standards for satisfactory academic progress and maintain the required grade point average established in Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; (ii) demonstrate reasonable progress to complete his specific program of study to earn an associate degree in no more than three years; and (iii) not exceed 150 percent of the required credits for the relevant certificate or degree.
G. Each financial assistance award under the G3 Program shall consist of (i) a grant up to the amount necessary to pay for the last-dollar cost of the institution's tuition and mandatory fees and a textbook stipend after all other federal and state financial aid to which the student is entitled is taken into account and (ii) for any student who is enrolled full time and receives a full Federal Pell Grant, a student-support incentive grant as provided in the general appropriation act. Each student-support incentive grant shall be disbursed in two equal payments, the first of which shall occur after the census date for the enrollment period is reached and the second of which shall occur at the end of the academic term for which the student receives the grant, provided, however, that no student who withdraws from or otherwise stops attending the institution during such term shall receive additional payments and that each such student shall be subject to repayment of the funds already received in accordance with state financial aid policies.
H. Each eligible institution that participates in the G3 Program shall provide academic and career advising to all students enrolled in the G3 Program.
I. No later than September 1 of each year, each associate-degree-granting public eligible institution of higher education shall
submit to the Council and the System a report with data from the previous
fiscal year on student participation in and completion of the G3 Program,
including (i) data on student enrollment, student retention rates between
academic terms and years, and student wages, including median wages prior to
enrollment and one year after completion of a credential or degree and wage
rates of students who have not enrolled in over a year and did not complete a
credential, and (ii) a comparison of job demand and completion rates. Such data
shall be disaggregated by program of study and student income level at the
start of participation in the G3 program. The Council and System shall work
collaboratively to compile the data provided by each
associate-degree-granting public eligible
institution of higher education and
annually report such data, in the aggregate and by program of study,
institution, and student income level at the start of participation in the G3
program, to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on
Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House
Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health.
J. No later than September 1 of each year, each associate-degree-granting public eligible institution of higher education that
participates in the G3 Program shall adopt and amend, as necessary, policies and
procedures to ensure that student participation in the G3 Program does not
cause financial assistance awards to exceed funds available for such purpose.
