Substitute Bill No. 6885 seeks to enhance the Debt-Free Community College Program in Connecticut by revising eligibility criteria and the award structure for students. The bill replaces references to "regional community-technical colleges" with "Connecticut State Community College" and updates the definition of "qualifying student" to include high school graduates who enroll in Connecticut State Community College and in-state students making satisfactory academic progress. The minimum award amounts for full-time and part-time students remain at $500 and $300, respectively, and the program will continue to cover the unpaid portion of eligible institutional costs after financial aid is applied. Additionally, a new provision allows students who have completed at least 60 credits through the program to continue their education at a state university within the Connecticut State University System or The University of Connecticut, with similar eligibility requirements.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a "finish line scholars program" to provide financial awards to qualifying full-time and part-time students at state universities. It defines full-time students as those carrying twelve or more credit hours, or fewer if they have a documented learning disability, while part-time students are defined as those carrying between six and twelve credit hours. The program will offer awards for the first seventy-two credit hours earned or until a bachelor's degree is obtained, starting in the fall semester of 2025, and these awards cannot supplant existing financial aid. The Board of Regents for Higher Education and the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut are responsible for creating the program and reporting on its implementation and outcomes to the General Assembly, with the first reports due by November 1, 2025, and March 1, 2026. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-89
HED Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 457:
APP Joint Favorable: