LB1083 LB1083
2024 2024
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1083
Introduced by Conrad, 46.
Read first time January 09, 2024
Committee: Education
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act; to
2 amend sections 85-3005 and 85-3006, Revised Statutes Cumulative
3 Supplement, 2022; to include a program of study in education,
4 engineering, and early childhood education as an eligible program of
5 study for scholarship eligibility for private colleges and community
6 colleges under the act as prescribed; to state intent regarding
7 appropriations; and to repeal the original sections.
8 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. Section 85-3005, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
2 2022, is amended to read:
3 85-3005 (1)(a) The Department of Economic Development, in
4 collaboration with the community colleges, shall award a Nebraska Career
5 Scholarship that does not exceed a maximum of five thousand dollars per
6 year to any eligible community college student who is enrolled in an
7 eligible program of study in an identified shortage area or skilled trade
8 that meets the workforce needs of the state.
9 (b) The Department of Economic Development shall identify shortage
10 areas and skilled trades that meet workforce needs for purposes of this
11 section, which shall include a program of study in early childhood
12 education, and shall periodically review and revise the identification of
13 such shortage areas and skilled trades.
14 (c) For purposes of this section, an eligible program of study means
15 a program of study offered by a community college in a shortage area or
16 skilled trade identified pursuant to subdivision (b) of this subsection.
17 (d) Each community college area, acting as an agent of the state,
18 shall determine the eligibility of students enrolled in the community
19 college, receive and process applications for awards to individual
20 students, and disperse funds directly to scholarship recipients during
21 the fiscal year. Eligibility criteria shall include being a first-time
22 freshman or a transfer student and enrollment in an eligible program of
23 study.
24 (2) Each scholarship recipient shall register with the appropriate
25 campus office to obtain a Nebraska-based internship, apprenticeship,
26 clinical position, or employment in a major-related field prior to
27 completion of the student's eligible program of study.
28 (3) A Nebraska Career Scholarship may be used by the scholarship
29 recipient for tuition, fees, required tools and equipment, and room and
30 board.
31 (4) Each scholarship awarded under this section shall be
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1 automatically renewed on an annual basis if the student remains enrolled
2 in good standing in the eligible program of study for which such
3 scholarship was awarded, except that no student shall receive a
4 scholarship renewal after three years of participation in such eligible
5 program of study.
6 (5) Each community college area shall collect information on each
7 scholarship recipient who has been awarded a Nebraska Career Scholarship
8 by such community college area and shall share such information with the
9 Department of Economic Development.
10 (6) The Department of Economic Development shall report
11 electronically to the Clerk of the Legislature and the Governor on or
12 before December 1 of each year the following information:
13 (a) For each eligible program of study at a community college in the
14 current or prior academic year:
15 (i) The total number of students enrolled in the program in the
16 immediately prior academic year and the total number of students enrolled
17 in the program as of the most recent census date for the community
18 college area;
19 (ii) The total number of scholarship recipients in the program as of
20 the most recent census date for the community college area; and
21 (iii) The number of students participating in an internship, an
22 apprenticeship, a clinical position, or employment in a major-related
23 field during the immediately prior academic year and a comparison of
24 participation rates for scholarship recipients and nonscholarship
25 students;
26 (b) The total number of first-time freshman scholarship recipients
27 retained in year two of the scholarship recipient's eligible program of
28 study and a comparison of the retention rate for first-time freshman
29 scholarship recipients to the overall retention rate for first-time
30 freshman students;
31 (c) The total number of first-time freshman scholarship recipients
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1 who complete the program of study by earning the certificate, diploma, or
2 degree that signifies completion and a comparison of the on-time
3 completion rate for scholarship recipients to the overall on-time
4 completion rate for all first-time freshman students;
5 (d) The number of scholarship recipients obtaining employment in the
6 state within five fiscal quarters of completion of an eligible program of
7 study using Department of Labor data; and
8 (e) The average salary of scholarship recipients, as determined by
9 the Department of Labor, for the fifth fiscal quarter following
10 completion.
11 (7) The Department of Economic Development shall allocate to
12 community colleges the amount appropriated to the department to carry out
13 this section. The department shall establish a separate budget subprogram
14 for such allocation.
15 (8) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the funding for
16 scholarships awarded pursuant to this section to eight million dollars
17 for fiscal year 2024-25.
18 Sec. 2. Section 85-3006, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
19 2022, is amended to read:
20 85-3006 (1)(a) The Department of Economic Development, in
21 collaboration with private colleges that elect to participate, shall
22 award a Nebraska Career Scholarship that does not exceed a maximum of ten
23 thousand dollars per year to any private college student who achieved a
24 composite score on a standard college admission test equivalent to a
25 score of at least eighteen out of a maximum score of thirty-six and who
26 is enrolled in an eligible program of study.
27 (b) Each participating private college, acting as an agent of the
28 state, shall determine the eligibility of students enrolled in the
29 private college, receive and process applications for awards to
30 individual students, and disperse funds directly to scholarship
31 recipients during the fiscal year. Eligibility criteria shall include
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1 being a first-time freshman or a transfer student and enrollment in an
2 eligible program of study.
3 (c) For purposes of this section, an eligible program of study
4 means:
5 (i) Through academic year 2023-24, a program of study at a private
6 college in mathematics, health care, and computer information systems;
7 and
8 (ii) Beginning with academic year 2024-25, a program of study
9 designated by the Department of Economic Development based on periodic
10 reviews of workforce needs in the state, which shall include a program of
11 study in education or engineering.
12 (2) Each scholarship recipient shall register with the appropriate
13 campus office to obtain a Nebraska-based internship, apprenticeship,
14 clinical position, or employment in a major-related field prior to
15 completion of the student's eligible program of study.
16 (3) A Nebraska Career Scholarship may be used by the scholarship
17 recipient for tuition, fees, required tools and equipment, and room and
18 board.
19 (4) Each scholarship awarded under this section shall be
20 automatically renewed on an annual basis if the student remains enrolled
21 in good standing in the eligible program of study for which such
22 scholarship was awarded, except that no student shall receive a
23 scholarship renewal after four years of participation in such eligible
24 program of study.
25 (5) Each participating private college shall collect information on
26 each scholarship recipient who has been awarded a Nebraska Career
27 Scholarship by such private college and shall share such information with
28 the Department of Economic Development.
29 (6) The Department of Economic Development shall report
30 electronically to the Clerk of the Legislature and the Governor on or
31 before December 1 of each year the following information for each
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1 eligible program of study at a private college in the current or prior
2 academic year:
3 (a) The total number of students enrolled in the program in the
4 immediately prior academic year and the total number of students enrolled
5 in the program as of September 30 for the current academic year;
6 (b) The total number of scholarship recipients in the program as of
7 September 30 for the current academic year and the total number of such
8 scholarship recipients who are newly enrolled in the program for such
9 academic year;
10 (c) The total number of students retained in the program and a
11 comparison of the retention rates between scholarship recipients and
12 nonscholarship students;
13 (d) The number of students participating in an internship, an
14 apprenticeship, a clinical position, or employment in a major-related
15 field during the immediately prior academic year and a comparison of
16 participation rates for scholarship recipients and nonscholarship
17 students;
18 (e) The total number of graduates for the immediately prior academic
19 year, the number of scholarship recipient graduates for such academic
20 year, and a comparison of the graduation rates for scholarship recipients
21 and nonscholarship students; and
22 (f) The number of graduates from the immediately prior academic year
23 who obtained employment in a major-related field in the state within four
24 months after graduation and the average starting salary for such
25 graduates.
26 (7) The Department of Economic Development shall allocate the amount
27 appropriated to the department to carry out this section to private
28 colleges that elect to participate under the Nebraska Career Scholarship
29 Act. The department shall establish a separate budget subprogram for such
30 allocations.
31 (8) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the funding for
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1 scholarships awarded pursuant to this section to eight million dollars
2 for fiscal year 2024-25.
3 Sec. 3. Original sections 85-3005 and 85-3006, Revised Statutes
4 Cumulative Supplement, 2022, are repealed.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 85-3005, 85-3006