AB142: Bill Text

LRB-1160/1

GMM:nwn:jf

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Assembly BILL 142

May 17, 2011 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB142,1,2 An Act to amend 39.435 (2) of the statutes; relating to: enrollment requirements for recipients of talent incentive grants.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in the bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint Legislative Council's Special Committee on Review of Higher Education Financial Aid Programs.

Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) awards talent incentive program grants, not to exceed $1,800 per student during a given academic year, to uniquely needy students attending colleges and universities in the state. First-time grant recipients are chosen as freshmen by school financial aid officers or by counselors of the Wisconsin educational opportunities program. The grants may be awarded for no more than ten consecutive semesters.

Under current HEAB administrative rules, students are required to maintain continuous enrollment from semester to semester, or quarter to quarter, in order to remain eligible to receive talent incentive grants.

This bill amends s. 39.435 (2), stats., to provide that recipients of talent incentive grants need not maintain continuous enrollment in their higher education institutions. Under the bill, recipients are eligible to receive those grants for up to ten semesters during a six-year period.

AB142, s. 1 Section 1. 39.435 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB142,2,11 39.435 (2) The board shall award talent incentive grants to uniquely needy students enrolled at least half-time as first-time freshmen at public and private nonprofit institutions located in this state and to sophomores, juniors and seniors who received such grants as freshmen. No grant under this subsection may exceed $1,800 for any academic year. The board may not award a grant to the same student for more than 10 consecutive semesters or their equivalent, and all grants awarded to an individual student must be awarded within 6 years of the initial grant. A student need not maintain continuous enrollment at his or her institution to receive grants under this subsection. The board shall promulgate rules establishing eligibility criteria for grants under this subsection.

AB142,2,12 (End)