HF 117 (LSB 1397HV (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 117

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 3)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing the national guard service professional qualification scholarship program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.210, subsection 6, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, funds appropriated for purposes of this section which remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year for which the funds were appropriated shall not revert but shall be available for expenditure for the following fiscal year upon the authority of the adjutant general for purposes of this section, section 256.210A, and section 256.211.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  256.210A  National guard service professional qualification scholarship program.
   1.  A national guard service professional qualification scholarship program is established to be administered by the college student aid commission for members of the Iowa national guard who are participating in an educational program leading to a credential that is approved by the adjutant general and offered by a community college, an institution of higher learning under the state board of regents, or an accredited private institution. The college student aid commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
   2.  An individual is eligible for the national guard service professional qualification scholarship program if the individual meets all of the following conditions:
   a.  Is a resident of the state and a member of an Iowa army or air national guard unit while receiving scholarship award payments issued pursuant to this section.
   b.  Satisfactorily completed required initial active duty training.
   c.  Maintains satisfactory performance of duty upon return from initial active duty training.
   d.  Is enrolled in an educational program that has been approved by the adjutant general and is offered by a community college as defined in section 260C.2, an institution of higher learning under the control of the board of regents, or an accredited private institution as defined in section 256.183.
   e.  Is maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward a credential.
   f.  Provides proper notice of national guard status to the community college or institution at the time of registration for the term in which program benefits are sought.
   g.  Completes and submits application forms required by the commission and applies for all nonrepayable state and federal financial aid for which the member is eligible.
   h.  Submits an application to the adjutant general of Iowa, on forms prescribed by the adjutant general, who shall determine eligibility and whose determination is final. Notwithstanding any deadline established for the administration of this paragraph, the adjutant general shall accept an application submitted pursuant to this paragraph from an otherwise eligible member of the national guard who was on federal active duty at the time of such deadline.
   3.  Scholarship awards paid pursuant to this section shall not exceed the total cost charged by the institution attended by the national guard member for the educational program leading to a credential. If the amount available for, or appropriated in, a fiscal year for purposes of this section is insufficient to provide scholarships to all national guard members who apply for the program and who are verified by the adjutant general to be eligible for the program, the adjutant general shall, in coordination with the college student aid commission, determine the distribution of scholarships.
   4.  The eligibility of applicants and scholarship award amounts to be paid shall be certified by the adjutant general to the college student aid commission, and all amounts that are or become due to a community college, accredited private institution, or institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents under this section shall be paid to the college or institution by the college student aid commission upon receipt of certification by the president or governing board of the educational institution as to accuracy of charges made, and as to the attendance and academic progress of the individual at the educational institution. The college student aid commission shall maintain an annual record of the number of participants and the dollar value of the awards issued.
   5.  The adjutant general shall publish and maintain a list of approved educational programs that are eligible for purposes of this section.
   6.  The adjutant general has the authority under this section to authorize the expenditure of unencumbered or unobligated funds as described in section 256.210, subsection 6, for purposes of this section.
   7.  For purposes of this section, “credential” means a postsecondary certificate or other competency-based credential that is not authorized for federal student aid under Tit. IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. “Credential” does not include an associate degree or any degree beyond an associate degree.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes the national guard service professional qualification scholarship program within the college student aid commission. The program provides scholarships to members of the Iowa national guard who are participating in an educational program leading to a credential that is approved by the adjutant general and offered by a community college, an institution of higher learning under the state board of regents, or an accredited private institution. The bill requires the adjutant general to publish and maintain a list of approved educational programs. The bill defines “credential” to mean a postsecondary certificate or other competency-based credential that is not authorized for federal student aid, but does not include an associate degree or any degree beyond an associate degree. The bill establishes eligibility criteria for the program.
   The bill provides that scholarship awards paid pursuant to the program shall not exceed the total cost charged by the institution attended by the national guard member for the educational program.
   The bill provides that the eligibility of applicants and scholarship award amounts to be paid shall be certified by the adjutant general to the college student aid commission, and all amounts that are or become due to a community college, accredited private institution, or institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents under the program shall be paid to the college or institution by the college student aid commission upon receipt of certification by the president or governing board of the educational institution as to accuracy of charges made, and as to the attendance and academic progress of the individual at the educational institution.
   The bill authorizes the adjutant general to expend funds appropriated for purposes of the national guard service scholarship program, established in Code section 256.210, which remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year for which the funds were appropriated in the following fiscal year for purposes of the national guard service professional qualification scholarship program.