Assembly Bill 857 establishes a climate change scholarship program to be administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board. This program aims to provide scholarships to resident students enrolled in higher education institutions who are studying fields related to climate change. Each eligible student can receive up to $5,000 per academic year. The bill also stipulates that half of the scholarships awarded will be based on merit, while the other half will be based on financial need.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions that prevent students with certain child support liens from receiving scholarships unless they have an approved payment agreement. The funding for this scholarship program will come from a new appropriation created under the bill. The bill introduces new sections to the statutes, specifically 20.235 (1) (dm) and 39.467, detailing the structure and requirements of the scholarship program.