2024 -- H 7905 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN,

YOUTH AND FAMILIES' HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY INCENTIVE GRANT

     Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Noret, Caldwell, Boylan, McGaw, Kazarian,
Diaz, Tanzi, and Cruz

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2024

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-72.8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-72.8 entitled

"Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-72.8-2. Administration of program.

     (a) Each year the The department annually shall notify, identify and recommend from

among outreach to those youth in its legal custody, or who were in the Department’s legal custody

on their eighteenth (18th) birthday, those students who may be eligible to apply for a beginning at

age fourteen (14) and until the youth exits care, who may satisfy the eligibility requirements

prescribed in § 42-72.8-2.1 for the Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant. The department

of elementary and secondary education shall afford all appropriate assistance to the department in

the identification of youth who may be eligible for such grants. Each selected qualified applicant

will receive grants a grant, to the extent of available funding, to supplement federal, state, private

and institutional scholarships, grants and loans work-study opportunities awarded to the higher

education institution for the applicant in an amount not to exceed the full cost of attendance

including, but not limited to: tuition, fees and room and board charges books, academic support,

transportation, food and housing: The department shall request from the higher education institution

the qualified applicant’s unmet need calculated in accordance with federal and state laws and the

institution’s policies. For the workforce development incentive grant, each qualified applicant shall

receive a grant, to the extent of available funding, in an amount not to exceed the full cost of

attendance including, but not limited to: training, fees, books, transportation, food, and housing

calculated by the department, in collaboration with the Community College of Rhode Island.

Payments pursuant to this chapter shall be disbursed in accordance with the requirements of the

higher education institution.

     (b) A grant period shall be limited to two (2) years of full-time study at the Community

College of Rhode Island, four (4) years of full-time study at Rhode Island College, and the

University of Rhode Island, and in no instance shall the grant period exceed a period of four (4)

years. Grant recipients shall be enrolled full-time and shall continue to make satisfactory progress

toward an academic certificate or degree as determined by the school in which they are enrolled;

     (c) The department shall make recommendations for grant awards from among those youth

who:

     (1) Have not yet reached the age of eighteen (18) on the day of recommendation, are in the

legal custody of the department on the day of recommendation and have remained in such custody

for at least twenty-four (24) months prior to the day of recommendation; or, for former foster care,

have reached the age of eighteen (18) prior to the date of recommendation, have not yet reached

the age of twenty-one (21) and were in the custody of the department from their sixteenth (16th) to

their eighteenth (18th) birthdays; and

     (2) Have graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma

not more than one year prior to the date of recommendation; and

     (3) Has not reached his/her twenty-first (21st) birthday; except that youth who are

participating in this program on the date before his/her twenty-first (21st) birthday may remain

eligible until his/her twenty-third (23rd) birthday, as long as he/she continues to be considered a

full-time student by Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College or University of

Rhode Island, and is making satisfactory progress, as determined by the school in which he/she is

enrolled, toward completion of his/her degree program.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 42-72.8 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Children,

Youth and Families’ Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant" is hereby amended by adding

thereto the following section:

     42-72.8-2.1. Eligibility.

     (a) To be eligible for a Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant, a youth:

     (1) Must have been in foster care in Rhode Island through the department for at least six

(6) months on or after their fourteenth birthday. The six (6) months can be non-consecutive periods

of foster care placement or participation in the voluntary extension of care pursuant to §14-1-6;

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     (2) Retains eligibility through the academic year in which the student reaches their twenty-

third birthday;

     (3) Must have graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency diploma;

     (4) Must be admitted to, and must enroll, attend, and make satisfactory progress towards

the completion of a degreed program of study at the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode

Island College or the University of Rhode Island on a full-time or part-time basis enrolled in no

less than six (6) credits per semester; and

     (5) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification, or for persons who

are legally unable to complete the FAFSA, must complete a comparable form created by the

institution by the applicable deadline for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding

under the aforesaid incentive grant;

     (b) To be eligible for a Workforce Development Incentive Grant, a youth:

     (1) Must have been in foster care in Rhode Island through the department for at least six

(6) months on or after their fourteenth birthday. The six (6) months can be non-consecutive periods

of foster care placement or participation in the voluntary extension of care pursuant to § 14-1-6;

     (2) Retains eligibility through the academic year in which the student reaches their twenty-

third birthday;

     (3) Must have graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency diploma;

and

     (4) Must be enrolled and attend a workforce development program at the community

college of Rhode Island approved by the commissioner of postsecondary education;

     (c) Youth shall only be eligible for one of the incentive grants per academic year.

     (d) Youth who meet the eligibility requirements in subsection (a) or (b) and who are

adopted or placed in guardianship through the department after their sixteenth birthday are eligible

to receive the incentive grant.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN,

YOUTH AND FAMILIES' HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY INCENTIVE GRANT

***

     This act would modify the eligibility and administration provisions of the higher education

opportunity incentive grant program.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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