Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
                                           Act 331 of the Regular Session
 1   State of Arkansas
 2   93rd General Assembly                        A Bill
 3   Regular Session, 2021                                                             SENATE BILL 114
 4
 5   By: Senator Irvin
 6
 7                                     For An Act To Be Entitled
 8                   AN ACT TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE
 9                   CONCERNING APPLICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY FOR THE
10                   ACADEMIC SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIP, THE ARKANSAS GOVERNOR'S
11                   SCHOLARS PROGRAM, AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHERS IN
12                   HIGH-NEED SUBJECT AREAS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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15                                                 Subtitle
16                           TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE
17                           CONCERNING APPLICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY
18                           FOR THE ACADEMIC SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIP, THE
19                           ARKANSAS GOVERNOR'S SCHOLARS PROGRAM, AND
20                           SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHERS IN HIGH-NEED
21                           SUBJECT AREAS.
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24   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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26           SECTION 1.       Arkansas Code  6-82-108(c), concerning the Academic
27   Support Scholarship, is amended to add an additional subdivision to read as
28   follows:
29                   (6)     Complete and submit to the United States Department of
30   Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a subsequent
31   application required by the United States Department of Education for federal
32   financial aid.
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34           SECTION 2.       Arkansas Code  6-82-306(b)(1)-(5), concerning eligibility
35   for the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program, are amended to read as follows:
36           (b)   A student is eligible for this scholarship a scholarship under
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                                                                                    SB114
 1   subsection (a) of this section if he or she:
 2                  (1)    Meets the admission requirements and is accepted for
 3   enrollment as a full-time undergraduate student in an eligible public or
 4   private college or university in Arkansas;
 5                  (2)(A)     Is a bona fide resident of the state, as defined by the
 6   Division of Higher Education.
 7                           (B)   Preference will be given to students who plan to enter
 8   college at the beginning of the academic year directly following their last
 9   year of high school attendance;
10                  (3)    Is a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
11   alien;
12                  (4)    Graduates from a high school;
13                  (5)(A)(5)      Demonstrates proficiency in the application of
14   knowledge and skills in reading and writing literacy and mathematics by
15   passing the end-of-course examination as may be developed by the Division of
16   Elementary and Secondary Education and as may be designated by the Division
17   of Higher Education for this purpose.
18                           (B)   End-of-course assessment means those assessments
19   defined in  6-15-419 [repealed] Has completed and submitted to the United
20   States Department of Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
21   (FAFSA) or a subsequent application required by the United States Department
22   of Education for federal financial aid; and
23
24            SECTION 3.     Arkansas Code  6-82-1901(b), concerning scholarships for
25   teachers in high-need subject areas, is amended to read as follows:
26            (b)   To be eligible for a scholarship award under subdivision (a)(1) of
27   this section, a recipient shall:
28                  (1)    Maintain a postsecondary grade point average of 3.0 or
29   higher on a 4.0 scale at an approved institution of higher education;
30                  (2)    Be enrolled in a teacher education program at a four-year
31   approved institution of higher education; and
32                  (3)    Complete and submit to the United States Department of
33   Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a subsequent
34   application required by the United States Department of Education for federal
35   financial aid; and
36                  (3)(A)(4)(A)      Enter into a written agreement with the Division of
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                                                                                  SB114
 1   Higher Education to teach at a public school for a minimum of five (5)
 2   consecutive years in a high-need subject area as determined under subdivision
 3   (b)(3)(B) (b)(4)(B) of this section.
 4                    (B)   A recipient shall be deemed to be teaching in a high-
 5   need subject area if the subject area in which the recipient is employed to
 6   teach was determined by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to
 7   be a high-need subject area in:
 8                           (i)     The year the recipient entered into the
 9   agreement with the Division of Higher Education under subdivision (b)(3)(B)
10   (b)(4)(B) of this section;
11                           (ii)    Any year the recipient received a scholarship
12   award under this subchapter; or
13                           (iii)    The year the recipient is licensed as a
14   teacher by the State Board of Education.
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17                                    APPROVED: 3/15/21
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Statutes affected: 
SB 114: 6-82-108(c), 6-82-306(b), 6-82-1901(b)
Act 331: 6-82-108(c), 6-82-306(b), 6-82-1901(b)