23.0134.01000
Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly HOUSE BILL NO. 1030
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Legislative Management
(Higher Education Committee)
1 A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact sections 15-10-38.1, 15-10-38.2, 15-10-38.4,
2 15-62.5-01, and 15-62.5-03, subdivision a of subsection 1 of section 15-62.5-04, and sections
3 15-63-01, 15-63-02, 15-63-03, 15-63-04, 15-63-05, 15.1-21-02.6, and 15.1-21-02.8 of the North
4 Dakota Century Code, relating to skilled workforce student loan repayment and scholarships,
5 dual-credit tuition scholarships, the North Dakota scholars program, Indian scholarships, and
6 academic and career and technical education scholarships; to repeal section 15-63-07 of the
7 North Dakota Century Code, relating to the use of Indian scholarship refunds; and to declare an
8 emergency.
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
10 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 15-10-38.1 of the North Dakota Century Code is
11 amended and reenacted as follows:
12 15-10-38.1. Skilled workforce student loan repayment program - Skilled workforce
13 student loan repayment program fund - Continuing appropriation - Report. (Repealed
14 effective July 1, 20232025)
15 1. There is created in the state treasury the skilled workforce student loan repayment
16 program fund. The fund consists of moneys transferred into the fund by the legislative
17 assembly, matching funds received, and loan repayments. Moneys in the fund are
18 appropriated to the state board of higher education on a continuing basis for the
19 purpose of distributing student loan repayment grants directly to the Bank of North
20 Dakota or other participating lender to repay outstanding student loan principal
21 balances for eligible applicants.
22 2. The state board of higher education shall adopt policies and procedures to develop,
23 implement, promote, and administer a skilled workforce student loan repayment
24 program in cooperation with the Bank of North Dakota and the North Dakota workforce
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1 development council with the intent of attracting and retaining individuals for
2 professional or technical skills in high demand in this state.
3 3. The North Dakota workforce development council in cooperation with job service North
4 Dakota shall use available labor market information to determine annually the eligible
5 high-demand professional and technical skills and emerging occupations in this state.
6 4. Graduates of degree or certificate programs from institutions or entities in any state
7 may apply for the skilled workforce student loan repayment program. To be eligible to
8 receive student loan repayment grants under the program, the applicant:
9 a. Must have successfully completed an educational program from an institution of
10 higher education;
11 b. Must have a student loan with the Bank of North Dakota or other participating
12 lender;
13 c. Following completion of an educational program, must reside and work in this
14 state in an eligible high-demand or emerging occupation; and
15 d. Must have met and shall continue to meet any requirements established in
16 applicable state board of higher education procedures.
17 5. The state board of higher education shall adopt procedures to ensure compliance with
18 residency and occupation requirements after completion of the educational program.
19 6. The state board of higher education shall distribute student loan repayment grants
20 from the skilled workforce student loan repayment program fund directly to the Bank of
21 North Dakota or other participating lender to repay outstanding student loan principal
22 balances for eligible applicants. The maximum annual student loan repayment grant
23 amount for which an applicant may qualify is five thousand six hundred sixty-seven
24 dollars, or one-third of the applicant's outstanding student loan principal balance upon
25 initial application for the program, whichever is less. The maximum total student loan
26 repayment grant amount for which any applicant may qualify is seventeen thousand
27 dollars.
28 7. If an individual is receiving loan forgiveness under any other state program, the
29 individual may not receive a student loan repayment grant under this section during
30 the same application year. An individual who received a skilled workforce scholarship
31 under section 15-10-38.2 is not eligible for loan forgiveness under this section.
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1 8. An individual may receive a combined total of no more than seventeen thousand
2 dollars under this section and the skilled workforce scholarship program under section
3 15-10-38.2.
4 9. The skilled workforce student loan repayment program must be a joint public and
5 private effort. The state board of higher education shall provide one dollar of funding
6 for each one dollar of funding raised from the private sector. Any matching funds
7 received must be deposited in the skilled workforce student loan repayment program
8 fund.
9 10. The state board of higher education shall provide a biennial program report to the
10 legislative management by September first of each even-numbered year. The report
11 must include information regarding:
12 a. The eligible high-demand professional and technical skills and emerging
13 occupations;
14 b. The number of applicants, eligible applicants, and applicants receiving awards;
15 c. The amount of private funding raised; and
16 d. The average and total amounts awarded under the program.
17 SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. Section 15-10-38.2 of the North Dakota Century Code is
18 amended and reenacted as follows:
19 15-10-38.2. Skilled workforce scholarship program - Skilled workforce scholarship
20 fund - Continuing appropriation - Report. (Repealed effective July 1, 20232025)
21 1. There is created in the state treasury the skilled workforce scholarship fund. The fund
22 consists of moneys transferred into the fund by the legislative assembly, matching
23 funds received, and scholarship repayments. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to
24 the state board of higher education on a continuing basis for the purpose of providing
25 grants to institutions of higher education related to skilled workforce scholarships.
26 Institutions of higher education include institutions under the control of the state board
27 of higher education, North Dakota nonpublic accredited institutions of higher
28 education, tribally controlled community colleges, state-approved educator training
29 programs, and North Dakota institutions approved to operate by the North Dakota
30 board of career and technical education.
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1 2. The state board of higher education shall adopt policies and procedures to develop,
2 implement, promote, and administer a skilled workforce scholarship program in
3 cooperation with the Bank of North Dakota and the North Dakota workforce
4 development council with the intent of attracting and retaining individuals for
5 professional or technical skills in high demand in this state.
6 3. The North Dakota workforce development council in cooperation with job service North
7 Dakota shall use available labor market information to determine annually the eligible
8 high-demand professional and technical skills and emerging occupations in this state.
9 4. The state board of higher education and the workforce development council shall
10 compile a list of qualifying educational programs annually. A qualifying educational
11 program is a program resulting in attainment of an associate's degree or lower
12 credential upon successful completion or a program that may be completed within four
13 semesters or six quarters. A qualifying educational program also must pertain to the
14 professional and technical skills and emerging occupations in high demand in this
15 state, as determined under subsection 3. Qualifying educational programs may include
16 degree or certificate programs.
17 5. Individuals enrolled in a qualifying educational program in this state may apply for a
18 scholarship under this section. Scholarships are limited to the amount charged each
19 quarter, semester, or term by the educational institution for the tuition, fees, books, and
20 supplies required for the qualifying educational program. The scholarships are
21 intended to supplement any other scholarship or financial aid grant received by a
22 student to assist the student with the costs of the qualifying educational program. An
23 individual may not receive a combined total exceeding seventeen thousand dollars
24 under this section and the skilled workforce loan repayment program under section
25 15-10-38.1.
26 6. To be eligible for a scholarship and payment under this section, a student must be
27 enrolled full time in an eligible program and have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point
28 average, based on a 4.0 grading system, or maintain academic progress in the
29 program according to program requirements. A student may not receive scholarships
30 under this section for more than the equivalent of four semesters of full-time
31 enrollment or six quarters of full-time enrollment.
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1 7. Upon completion of a qualifying educational program, a student who received a
2 scholarship under this section must reside and work in this state in an eligible
3 high-demand or emerging occupation for a minimum of three years.
4 8. An individual shall repay the scholarship pursuant to the terms in the individual's
5 scholarship award agreement if the individual fails to maintain either a 2.5 cumulative
6 grade point average or academic progress according to program requirements while
7 enrolled, withdraws voluntarily or involuntarily before the completion of the program for
8 which a scholarship has been received, or fails to reside and work in this state in an
9 eligible high-demand or emerging occupation for at least three years following degree
10 or certificate completion.
11 9. The state board of higher education, in conjunction with the Bank of North Dakota,
12 may allow an individual who received payment under this section to delay or cancel
13 repayment under this section due to financial difficulty, military service, death, or total
14 disability.
15 10. Each quarter, semester, or term, the state board of higher education shall distribute
16 grants to institutions of higher education to provide the amounts necessary for the
17 scholarships awarded to the students enrolled in each institution.
18 11. The skilled workforce scholarship program must be a joint public and private effort.
19 The state board of higher education may distribute grants only to the extent that the
20 private sector has provided one dollar of matching funds for each dollar of funding
21 provided by the state. Any matching funds received must be deposited in the skilled
22 workforce scholarship fund.
23 12. The state board of higher education shall provide a biennial program report to the
24 legislative management by September first of each even-numbered year. The report
25 must include information regarding:
26 a. The eligible high-demand professional and technical skills and emerging
27 occupations;
28 b. The qualifying educational programs;
29 c. The number of applicants, eligible applicants, and applicants receiving awards;
30 d. The amount of private funding raised; and
31 e. The average and total amounts awarded under the program.
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1 SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Section 15-10-38.4 of the North Dakota Century Code is
2 amended and reenacted as follows:
3 15-10-38.4. Dual-credit courses - Tuition scholarship program - Administered by the
4 board.
5 1. The state board of higher education shall administer a dual-credit tuition scholarship
6 program to offer a tuition scholarship to students. The board shall adopt procedures to
7 administer the program.
8 2. An eligible student may apply to the board to receive a scholarship toward the cost of
9 tuition and fees at the accredited in-state public, private, or tribal institution of higher
10 education at which the student is enrolled. To be eligible to receive a scholarship, an
11 individual must:
12 a. Be enrolled and have completed at least one semester, quarter, or term at a
13 public, private, or tribal institution of higher education with a physical presence in
14 the state;
15 b. Have:
16 (1) Graduated from a high school in the state;
17 (2) Graduated from a high school in a bordering state under chapter 15.1-29;
18 (3) Graduated from a nonpublic high school in a bordering state while residing
19 with a custodial parent in this state; or
20 (4) Completed a program of home education under chapter 15.1-23; and
21 c. Have successfully completed at least one dual-credit course provided by an
22 accredited public, private, or tribal institution under the control of the state board
23 of higher educationin the state while enrolled in high school or a program of
24 home education in the state.
25 3. The state board of higher education shall provide an eligible student with a tuition
26 scholarship equal to fifty percent of the cost of thetwo hundred fifty dollars for one
27 successfully completed dual-credit course, five hundred dollars for two successfully
28 completed dual-credit courses, or seven hundred fifty dollars for three or more
29 successfully completed dual-credit courses. The dual-credit courses must be provided
30 by an accredited public, private, or tribal institution under the control of the state board
31 of higher educationin the state, and completed by the student while in high school or a
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1 program of home education, in an amount up to seven hundred fifty dollars. A
2 scholarship received by a student during any semester, quarter, or term of enrollment
3 under this section may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees for the semester,
4 quarter, or term. A student is not eligible to receive more than seven hundred fifty
5 dollars under this section.
6 SECTION 4. AMENDMENT. Section 15-62.5-01 of the North Dakota Century Code is
7 amended and reenacted as follows:
8 15-62.5-01. Scholars program.
9 The state board of higher education shall administer the scholars program for the purpose
10 of providing a merit-based scholarship to an individual who:
11 1. a. Graduated from a high school in this state;
12 b. Graduated from a high school in a bordering state, pursuant to chapter 15.1-29;
13 c. Graduated from a nonpublic high school in a bordering state while residing with a
14 custodial parent in this state; or
15 d. Completed a program of home education supervised in accordance with chapter
16 15.1-23;
17 2. On the ACT achieved a composite score of 30 or higher, or an equivalent score on an
18 equivalent nationally recognized standardized test approved by the state board of
19 higher education, achieved composite scores that ranked the individual at or above
20 the ninety-fifth percentile among those who took the ACT or an equivalent nationally
21 recognized standardized test approved by the state board of higher education, prior to
22 July first in the calendar year preceding the individual's post-secondary enrollment;
23 3. a. Is enrolled at an accredited institution of higher education with a physical
24 presence in this state that offers a program of instruction equal to at least two
25 academic years;
26 b. Because of a medically certifiable disability is enrolled at an accredited institution
27 of higher education outside of this state that offers the individual special services
28 or facilities not available in this state, provided the institution offers a program o