Rhode Island HB 5424: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (Provides that a student in the care and custody of the department of children, youth and families may attend Rhode Island College without the payment of tuition and room and board as long as they meet admission criteria of Rhode Island College)

Bill Text

2021 -- H 5424
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021
____________

A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH
AND FAMILIES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Introduced By: Representatives Place, Chippendale, Nardone, and Filippi
Date Introduced: February 08, 2021
Referred To: House Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
adding thereto the following chapter: 2
CHAPTER 107.1 3
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES 4
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 5
16-107.1-1. Short Title. 6
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Department of Children, 7
Youth and Families Scholarship Program”. 8
16-107.1-2. Establishment of scholarship program. 9
The general assembly shall annually appropriate the funds necessary to implement the 10
purposes of this chapter. Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated to support 11
and advance the Rhode Island department of children, youth and families scholarship program. In 12
addition to appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations may be accepted into the 13
scholarship program. 14
16-107.1-3. Definitions. 15
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 16
(1) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form; 17
(2) "Mandatory fees and tuition" are the costs that every student is required to pay in order 18

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to enroll in classes, and for room and board, textbooks, program fees that may exist in some majors, 1
course fees that may exist for some specific courses or travel; 2
(3) "Recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island College who qualifies to 3
receive the Rhode Island department of children, youth and families scholarship pursuant to § 16-4
107.1-5; 5
(4) "Scholarship program" means the Rhode Island department of children, youth and 6
families scholarship program that is established pursuant to § 16-107.1-2; and 7
(5) "State" means the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. 8
16-107.1-4. Administration of scholarship program. 9
(a) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or 10
their respective equivalent offices, at Rhode Island College, shall administer the scholarship 11
program for recipient students in the care and custody of the department of children, youth and 12
families, who meet the eligibility requirements in this chapter. 13
(b) An award of the scholarship program shall cover the cost of tuition, room and board, 14
and mandatory fees, less federal and all other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. 15
(c) The scholarship program is limited to one award per student as required by § 16-107.1-16
5(a)(5). 17
16-107.1-5. Eligibility for scholarship. 18
(a) Beginning with the students who enroll at Rhode Island College in fall of 2021, to be 19
considered for the scholarship, a student: 20
(1) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by 21
the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified 22
from time to time ("residency policy"); provided, that, the student must have satisfied the high 23
school graduation/equivalency diploma condition prior to reaching nineteen (19) years of age; 24
provided, further, that in addition to the option of meeting the requirement by receiving a high 25
school equivalency diploma as described in the residency policy, the student can satisfy the 26
condition by receiving other certificates or documents of equivalent nature from the state or its 27
municipalities as recognized by applicable regulations promulgated by the council on elementary 28
and secondary education; 29
(2) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend Rhode Island College on a full-time 30
basis by the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester immediately 31
following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma; 32
(3) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification by the deadline 33
prescribed by Rhode Island College for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding 34

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under the scholarship program; 1
(4) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis; and 2
(5) Must not have already received an award under this scholarship program. 3
16-107.1-6. Rules and procedures. 4
The council on postsecondary education is hereby authorized to promulgate rules to 5
effectuate the purposes of this chapter and Rhode Island College shall establish appeal procedures 6
for the award, denial, or revocation of funding under the scholarship program. The rules shall be 7
promulgated in accordance with § 16-59-4. 8
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 9
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