HOUSE BILL NO. 6172

September 03, 2020, Introduced by Reps. Anthony and VanSingel and referred to the Committee on Education.

"An act to grant scholarships to students enrolled in postsecondary education institutions; and to provide for the administration of the scholarship program,"

by amending sections 3 and 4 (MCL 390.973 and 390.974), section 3 as amended by 1980 PA 500 and section 4 as amended by 1986 PA 270.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 3. (1) The Subject to subsection (4), the authority shall conduct a competitive examination among eligible applicants for state competitive scholarships at times and places as determined by the authority. The authority may designate a competitive examination to be administered among eligible applicants for state competitive scholarships. The authority shall annually establish the examination scores necessary to qualify for the competitive scholarship shall be established annually by the authority according to the funding available to meet the award levels established pursuant to section 6.

(2) The authority may also use scholastic achievement in determining award winners and shall issue appropriate certificates of recognition to persons individuals awarded scholarships. The authority shall grant annual renewal of scholarships.

(3) Rules The authority shall promulgate rules to implement this act pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, including rules for the conduct of examinations for the award of scholarships, and for the procedures for the awarding of annual renewal scholarships, shall be promulgated by the authority pursuant to Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, being sections 24.201 to 24.315 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. The authority shall define and for the purpose of defining postsecondary institutions in the rules promulgated.under this act.

(4) Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the contrary, scholastic achievement may be used as an alternative to a competitive examination to determine eligibility for scholarships awarded under this act for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Sec. 4. (1) An applicant is eligible for the award of a first-year scholarship if the authority finds that the applicant meets all of the following:

(a) Has resided continuously in this state for the preceding 12 months and is not considered a resident of any other state.

(b) Has graduated from a high school, or is a student in good standing in a high school who will graduate at the end of the academic year, or an individual who has passed a graduate equivalency examination approved by the state board of education, or, if not a high school graduate, is recommended favorably by an appropriate educational institution as defined in rules promulgated by the authority.

(c) Except for the an applicant for a graduate scholarship, based upon on the state competitive scholarship examination, the applicant shows promise of satisfactorily completing a course of study at an approved postsecondary institution of the applicant's choice in this state. For an applicant for a graduate scholarship, the authority shall determine the examination standards for eligibility.

(d) Has complied with this act and the rules promulgated under this act by the authority.

(e) Is not incarcerated in a corrections institution.

(2) An applicant who the authority determines is eligible for award of a scholarship under this act shall complete using the scholarship within 10 1 of the following timeframes, as applicable:

(a) For an applicant enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution during the 2020 spring term and the 2020-2021 academic year, 11 years after his or her eligibility is determined.

(b) For any other applicant, 10 years after his or her eligibility is determined.