The bill establishes the Hathaway private post secondary institution scholarship, aimed at providing financial assistance to eligible students attending accredited private post secondary institutions in Wyoming. It defines "private post secondary institution" and outlines the scholarship's eligibility requirements, which include maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.5 and achieving a specific national percentile rank on standardized examinations. The scholarship is limited to a maximum of $500 per semester and can be awarded for up to eight full-time semesters, with a cap of 200 students receiving the scholarship at any given time. The bill also mandates the Department of Education to create rules for eligibility, application processes, and reporting requirements for participating institutions.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing legal definitions and provisions related to the Hathaway scholarship program. It includes amendments to the definitions of "eligible institution" and "scholarship" to incorporate private post secondary institutions, and it adjusts the allocation of funds within the Hathaway scholarship expenditure account to ensure that a portion is designated for the new private post secondary institution scholarships. The bill also establishes a sunset provision, repealing the section related to the private post secondary institution scholarship on July 1, 2029, and requires annual reporting from institutions receiving funds. The act is set to take effect immediately upon its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-16-1301, 21-16-1302, 21-16-1309, 21-16-1311