This bill proposes the establishment of the Public Service Scholarship Fund, which will be administered by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). The fund will consist of legislative appropriations and other sources of funding, and the bill specifies that the fund's monies are exempt from lapsing provisions. The ABOR will use the fund to provide scholarships to students who complete a term of service in a federally supported national service program, receive a federal postservice education award, and use that award to attend eligible educational institutions in Arizona. The bill also mandates the creation of a scholarship application process and stipulates that scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific requirements for scholarship recipients, including maintaining good academic standing, using the scholarship within three years of completing their service, and ensuring that the funds are used only for eligible educational purposes. Any unused scholarship funds after three years will revert back to the Public Service Scholarship Fund. The bill also defines "educational institution" to include Arizona public universities and community colleges. An unspecified amount will be appropriated from the state General Fund to support this initiative in fiscal year 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-1706