The bill amends the Hathaway scholarship program by updating eligibility requirements, award timing, and the calculation of unmet financial need and scholarship amounts. Key changes include extending the application period for scholarships from four years to twenty years post-high school graduation and allowing the use of scholarships for summer semesters. The scholarship amounts are specified, with the Hathaway opportunity scholarship set at $6,720, the performance scholarship at $10,080, and the honor scholarship at $13,440. New definitions for "remaining scholarship amount" and "total scholarship amount" are introduced to clarify funding eligibility. The bill also repeals obsolete language and specifies that scholarships are subject to legislative appropriation, ensuring they can be modified or terminated by the legislature.

Additionally, the bill establishes specific criteria for maintaining eligibility for the Hathaway Expand Wyoming Scholarship, including a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and enrollment in at least twelve semester hours each semester. It modifies maximum grant amounts under the Wyoming works program, setting $1,680 for non-critical workforce credential programs and up to $3,360 for critical workforce programs. The bill also introduces a scholarship amount of $840 per semester for students at Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming, with provisions for maintaining eligibility and reinstating lost scholarships. The Department of Education is mandated to create rules for implementing these changes, and students who received scholarships before the act's effective date will continue under previous regulations until June 30, 2026, with the act becoming effective on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
26LSO-0094 v0.6: 21-16-1301, 21-16-1303, 21-16-1305, 21-16-1308