Senate Bill No. 113–Committee on Human
Resources and Facilities

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to the program for millennium scholarships; expanding the program to provide for the disbursement of scholarships to students of certain additional colleges and universities in this state; revising the eligibility requirements for certain pupils who did not graduate from high school at the time regularly scheduled for their graduation; increasing the amount of scholarships for upper division courses at community colleges; eliminating the requirement that the scholarship be repaid if a student drops out of school or fails to maintain a certain grade-point average; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

   Section 1. Chapter 396 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a

 new section to read as follows:

   “Eligible institution” means:

   1.  A university, state college or community college within the system;

 or

   2.  Any other nonsectarian college or university that:

   (a) Was originally established in, and is organized under the laws of,

 this state;

   (b) Is exempt from taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3); and

   (c) Is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the

 United States Department of Education.

   Sec. 2.  NRS 396.911 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   396.911  1.  The legislature hereby declares that its priorities in

 expending the proceeds to the State of Nevada from settlement agreements

 with and civil actions against manufacturers of tobacco products are:

   (a) To increase the number of Nevada students who attend and graduate

 from Nevada institutions of higher education; and

   (b) To assist Nevada residents in obtaining and maintaining good

 health.

   2.  To further these priorities, the legislature hereby declares that it is in

 the best interest of the residents of the State of Nevada that all money

 received by the State of Nevada pursuant to any settlement entered into by

 the State of Nevada and a manufacturer of tobacco products and all money

 recovered by the State of Nevada from a judgment in a civil action against

 a manufacturer of tobacco products be dedicated solely toward the

 achievement of the following goals:

   (a) Increasing the number of residents of the State of Nevada who enroll

 in and attend a university , college or community college [of the

 University and Community College System] in the State of Nevada;

   (b) Reducing and preventing the use of tobacco products, alcohol and

 illegal drugs, especially by children;

   (c) Expanding the availability of health insurance and health care for

 children and adults in this state, especially for children and for adults with

 disabilities;

   (d) Assisting senior citizens who have modest incomes in purchasing

 prescription drugs and assisting those senior citizens in meeting their

 needs

related to health care, home care, respite care and their ability to live

independent of institutional care; and

   (e) Promoting the general health of all residents of the State of Nevada.

   Sec. 3.  NRS 396.914 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   396.914  As used in NRS 396.914to 396.938, inclusive, and section 1

 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms

 defined in NRS 396.918 and 396.922 and section 1 of this act have the

 meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

   Sec. 4.  NRS 396.930 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   396.930  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 3, a

 student may apply to the board of regents for a millennium scholarship if

 he:

   (a) Has been a resident of this state for at least 2 years before he applies

 for the scholarship;

   (b) [Graduated] Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c),

 graduated from a public or private high school in this state:

     (1) After May 1, 2000; and

     (2) Not more than 8 years before he applies for the scholarship;

   (c) Does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph (b) and:

     (1) Was enrolled as a pupil in a public or private high school in this

 state with a class of pupils who were regularly scheduled to graduate

 after May 1, 2000;

     (2) Received his high school diploma within 5 years after he was

 regularly scheduled to graduate; and

     (3) Applies for the scholarship not more than 8 years after he was

 regularly scheduled to graduate from high school;

   (d) Maintained at least a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 grading scale

 in high school in the core curriculum, as determined by the board of

 regents pursuant to subsection 2; and

   [(d)] (e) Is enrolled in at least [12 semester credit hours in a university

 or at least 6] :

     (1) Six semester credit hours in a community college [.] within the

 system; or

     (2) Twelve semester credit hours in another eligible institution.

   2.  The board of regents shall:

   (a) Define the core curriculum that a student must complete in high

 school to be eligible for a millennium scholarship.

   (b) Develop a plan to ensure that needy students and students from

 families that otherwise could not afford to send their children to college

 receive millennium scholarships.

   3.  [For] Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of subsection

 1, for students who did not graduate from a public or private high school

 in this state and who have been residents of this state for at least 2 years,

 the board of regents shall establish:

   (a) The minimum score on a standardized test that such students must

 receive; or

   (b) Other criteria that students must meet,

to be eligible for millennium scholarships.

   4.  In awarding scholarships, the board of regents shall enhance its

 outreach to students who:

   (a) Are pursuing a career in education or health care;

   (b) Come from families who lack sufficient financial resources to pay

 for the costs of sending their children to [a university or community

 college;] an eligible institution; or

   (c) Substantially participated in an anti-smoking, anti-drug or anti

-alcohol program during high school.

   Sec. 5.  NRS 396.934 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   396.934  1.  Within the limits of money available in the trust fund, a

 student who is eligible for a millennium scholarship is entitled to receive:

   (a) If he is enrolled in a community college [,] within the system, $40

 per credit for each lower division course and $60 per credit for each

 upper division course in which the student is enrolled, or the amount of

 money that is necessary for the student to pay the costs of attending the

 community college that are not otherwise satisfied by other grants or

 scholarships, whichever is less. The board of regents shall provide for the

 designation of upper and lower division courses for the purposes of this

 paragraph.

   (b) If he is enrolled in a state college within the system, $60 per credit

 for which the student is enrolled, or the amount of money that is

 necessary for the student to pay the costs of attending the state college

 that are not otherwise satisfied by other grants or scholarships,

 whichever is less.

   (c) If he is enrolled in [a university,] another eligible institution, $80

 per credit for which the student is enrolled, or the amount of money that is

 necessary for the student to pay the costs of attending the university that

 are not otherwise satisfied by other grants or scholarships, whichever is

 less.

No student may be awarded a scholarship for a total amount in excess of

 $10,000.

   2.  A student who receives a millennium scholarship shall:

   (a) Make satisfactory academic progress toward a recognized degree or

 certificate, as determined by the board of regents pursuant to subsection

 [6;] 5; and

   (b) Maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 grading scale.

   3.  A millennium scholarship must be used only:

   (a) For the payment of registration fees and laboratory fees and

 expenses;

   (b) To purchase required textbooks and course materials; and

   (c) For other costs related to the attendance of the student at the

 [university or community college.

   4.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if a student drops

 out of school or fails to maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average in any

 semester, the student shall repay the millennium scholarship before the

 student is eligible to receive an additional millennium scholarship or

 otherwise receive money pursuant to NRS 396.914 to 396.934, inclusive.

 The board of regents shall establish criteria for a waiver from the

 repayment required by this subsection, including, without limitation,

 service in the military and conditions of hardship such a medical necessity.

   5.] eligible institution.

   4. The board of regents shall certify a list of eligible students to the

state treasurer. The state treasurer shall disburse a millennium scholarship

 for each semester on behalf of an eligible student directly to the

 [community college or university] eligible institution in which the student

 is enrolled, upon certification from the [community college or university]

 eligible institution of the number of credits for which the student is

 enrolled, which must meet or exceed the minimum number of credits

 required for eligibility and certification that the student is in good standing

 and making satisfactory academic progress toward a recognized degree or

 certificate, as determined by the board of regents pursuant to subsection

 [6.] 5. The scholarship must be administered by the [community college or

 university] eligible institution as other similar scholarships are

 administered and may be used only for the expenditures authorized

 pursuant to subsection 3.

   [6.] 5. The board of regents shall establish criteria for determining

 whether a student is making satisfactory academic progress toward a

 recognized degree or certificate for purposes of subsection [5.] 4.

   Sec. 6.  NRS 439.600 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   439.600  1.  The legislature hereby declares that its priorities in

 expending the proceeds to the State of Nevada from settlement agreements

 with and civil actions against manufacturers of tobacco products are:

   (a) To increase the number of Nevada students who attend and graduate

 from Nevada institutions of higher education; and

   (b) To assist Nevada residents in obtaining and maintaining good

 health.

   2.  To further these priorities, the legislature hereby declares that it is in

 the best interest of the residents of this state that all money received by the

 State of Nevada pursuant to any settlement entered into by the State of

 Nevada and a manufacturer of tobacco products and all money recovered

 by the State of Nevada from a judgment in a civil action against a

 manufacturer of tobacco products be dedicated solely toward the

 achievement of the following goals:

   (a) Increasing the number of Nevada residents who enroll in and attend

 a university , college or community college [of the University and

 Community College System] in the State of Nevada;

   (b) Reducing and preventing the use of tobacco products, alcohol and

 illegal drugs, especially by children;

   (c) Expanding the availability of health insurance and health care for

 children and adults in this state, especially for children and for adults with

 disabilities;

   (d) Assisting senior citizens who have modest incomes in purchasing

 prescription drugs and assisting those senior citizens in meeting their

 needs related to health care, home care, respite care and their ability to live

 independent of institutional care; and

   (e) Promoting the general health of all residents of the State of Nevada.

   Sec. 7.  Section 10 of chapter 536, Statutes of Nevada 1999, at page

 2753, is hereby amended to read as follows:

   Sec. 10.  On or before February 1, 2003, the board of regents of

 the University of Nevada shall submit a report to the director of the

legislative counsel bureau for transmittal to the 72nd session of the

Nevada legislature that includes:

   1.  An examination of the projected enrollment of students in [the

 University and Community College System of] Nevada who will be

 eligible for millennium scholarships;

   2.  An actuarial study to determine the approximate costs of

 continuing the millennium scholarship program; and

   3.  A report setting forth any enhanced outreach efforts carried out

 pursuant to subsection 4 of section 7 of this act.

   Sec. 8.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

 

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