130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 761
H.P. 566 House of Representatives, March 5, 2021
An Act To Establish the Maine Community College System Pell
Grant Match Program
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CROCKETT of Portland.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2 Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §12706, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 695, §11, is
3 amended to read:
4 4. Budget development. To prepare and adopt a biennial, line-category, operating
5 budget for presentation to the Governor and the Legislature, incorporating all projected
6 expenditures, including estimated full funding for the Maine Community College System
7 Pell Grant Match Program, as established in section 12723, and all resources expected or
8 proposed to be made available to fund the operations of the system. The budget is to be
9 used in support of any requests to the Legislature for General Fund appropriations that the
10 board of trustees may deem determines appropriate and necessary to supplement other
11 resources available to the system and shall also serve serves as the foundation for an annual
12 fiscal management plan for the system;
13 Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §12723 is enacted to read:
14 §12723. Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program
15 The Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program, referred to in this
16 section as "the program," is established within the system to assist in funding community
17 college for eligible students.
18 1. Eligibility. A person is eligible to receive a grant award under subsection 2 if the
19 person:
20 A. Is a resident of the State as determined by the system;
21 B. Has completed an application for federal student financial aid programs and is
22 eligible for a Federal Pell Grant for the academic year in which the person applies to
23 the program; and
24 C. Maintains a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 as determined
25 by the college the person attends.
26 2. Grant awards. Beginning in fiscal year 2021-22, the system may award a student
27 who is eligible under subsection 1 a grant award under this subsection. The grant award
28 may not exceed 100% of the amount of funds provided by the Federal Pell Grant that the
29 student receives for the academic year in which the student applies. The availability of the
30 grant award and the amount of the grant award are subject to the amount available in the
31 fund established under subsection 3.
32 3. Fund. The Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Fund is established
33 as a nonlapsing fund administered by the system. Grant awards may be distributed from
34 this fund only to students who meet the eligibility requirements under subsection 1.
35 4. Rulemaking. The system may adopt rules to implement and administer the
36 provisions of this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical
37 rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
38 Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
39 allocations are made.
40 COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE MAINE
41 Maine Community College System - Board of Trustees 0556
Page 1 - 130LR0275(01)
 1 Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for the Maine Community College System Pell Grant
2 Match Program.
3 GENERAL FUND 2020-21 2021-22
4 All Other $0 $3,600,000
5 __________ __________
6 GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $3,600,000
73 SUMMARY
8 This bill establishes the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program
9 and provides that a student is eligible for the program if the student is a resident of the
10 State, is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and maintains a minimum grade point average.
11 The grant award may not exceed 100% of the amount of funds provided by the Federal Pell
12 Grant that the student receives for the academic year in which the student applies. The
13 availability of the grant and the amount of the grant are subject to the amount available in
14 the established fund, and the Maine Community College System may adopt rules to
15 implement and administer the program and fund.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 761, HP 566: 20-A.12706