House Bill No. 7098 establishes new eligibility criteria for former students of Stone Academy's practical nurse education program to receive tuition refunds from the private career school student protection account. The bill specifies that students who were enrolled but did not graduate between November 1, 2021, and February 28, 2023, may qualify for a refund if they have not received credit for any Stone Academy course at another practical nurse program, have not previously received a refund, and have not participated in a teach-out or taken a proctored comprehensive predictor examination after the bill's effective date. The deadline for these students to apply for a refund is set for June 30, 2026. Additionally, the bill repeals and replaces Section 67 of public act 23-204, which previously governed tuition refunds, and introduces a stipulation that any student who receives a refund will be ineligible for participation in a teach-out or the aforementioned examination.

The Office of Higher Education is tasked with determining the refund amounts, which cannot exceed the tuition paid for the relevant course. The state may also take legal action to recover costs associated with these refunds from the private career school or its owners. The bill is expected to incur a one-time cost of up to $610,000, with approximately 300 former students anticipated to be eligible for refunds. Overall, the bill aims to provide financial relief to students affected by the closure of Stone Academy while ensuring that the process for applying for refunds is clearly defined and managed by the Office of Higher Education.