SB-1020, As Passed House, March 30, 2004
February 25, 2004, Introduced by Senator JOHNSON and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
A bill to amend 1999 PA 94, entitled
"Michigan merit award scholarship act,"
by amending section 8 (MCL 390.1458), as amended by 2003 PA 186.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 8. (1) A Michigan merit
award scholarship money
2 shall be used only to pay for eligible costs.
3 (2) The board shall determine the manner and form of
4 application for payment of a Michigan merit award scholarship by
5 a student eligible under section 7 and the procedure for payment
6 to the student or to the
an approved postsecondary educational
7 institution on the
student's behalf, . subject to 1 of the
8 following, as applicable:
9 (a) As determined by the board, upon the request of a student
10 or parent or legal guardian of a minor student, the board may pay
11 a Michigan merit award scholarship in 2 consecutive annual
1 installments rather than 1 lump sum for a student who graduates
2 from high school or passes the general educational development
3 (GED) test or approved graduate equivalency examination before
4 March 1, 2003.
5 (b) For each student who graduates from high school or passes
6 the general educational development (GED) test or approved
7 graduate equivalency examination on or after March 1, 2003 and
8 before March 1, 2004, the board shall pay a Michigan merit award
9 scholarship in 2 consecutive annual installments, beginning in
10 the state fiscal year for which the student is otherwise eligible
11 under section 7. The first installment shall not exceed 50% of
12 the award amount, and the second installment shall consist of the
13 remaining award amount. Verification that the student has met
14 the enrollment criteria under section 7(4)(c) is required prior
15 to issuance of the second installment.
16 (c) For each student who graduates from high school or passes
17 the general educational development (GED) test or approved
18 graduate equivalency examination on or after March 1, 2004, the
19 board shall pay a Michigan merit award scholarship in 2
20 consecutive annual installments, beginning in the state fiscal
21 year that begins after the beginning of the academic year for
22 which the student is otherwise eligible under section 7. The
23 first installment shall not exceed 50% of the award amount, and
24 the second installment shall consist of the remaining award
25 amount. Verification that the student has met the enrollment
26 criteria under section 7(4)(c) is required prior to issuance of
27 the second installment.
1 (3) (2) An
approved postsecondary educational institution
2 shall not consider a Michigan merit award scholarship in
3 determining a student's eligibility for a financial aid program
4 administered by this state. It is the intent of the legislature
5 that an approved postsecondary educational institution not reduce
6 institutionally-funded student aid because of the Michigan merit
7 award scholarship program.
8 (4) (3) Before
payment of a Michigan merit award
9 scholarship to a student or an approved postsecondary educational
10 institution, the student shall certify or affirm in writing to
11 the board each of the following:
12 (a) That the student is enrolled at an approved postsecondary
13 educational institution.
14 (b) The name of the approved postsecondary educational
15 institution in which the student is enrolled.
16 (c) That the student agrees to use the Michigan merit award
17 scholarship only for eligible costs.
18 (d) That the student has not been convicted of a felony
19 involving an assault, physical injury, or death.
20 (e) That the student graduated from high school or passed the
21 general educational development (GED) test or approved graduate
22 equivalency examination within 1 of the following time periods:
23 (i) If the student graduated from high school or passed the
24 test or examination before March 1, 2002, within the 7-year
25 period preceding the date of the student's application to receive
26 his or her Michigan merit award scholarship.
27 (ii) If the student graduated on or after March 1, 2002,
1 within the 4-year period preceding the date of the student's
2 application to receive his or her Michigan merit award
3 scholarship, or within a period equal to 4 years plus the number
4 of days the student served as a member of the United States armed
5 forces or peace corps if the student became a member of the
6 United States armed forces or peace corps during this 4-year
7 period and served for 4 years or less. The board may also extend
8 the 4-year period if the board determines that an extension is
9 warranted because of an illness or disability of the student or
10 in the student's immediate family or another family emergency.
11 (5) (4) The
board shall not begin disbursing funds for a
12 Michigan merit award scholarship to a student or an approved
13 postsecondary educational institution on behalf of the student
14 unless it receives the request or application for payment,
15 including the written certification or affirmation described in
16 this section, from the student on or before 1 of the following
17 dates, for disbursement in that academic year:
18 (a) In the 2002-2003 academic year, January 15.
19 (b) In the 2003-2004 academic year, September 15 if the
20 student received notification of eligibility prior to August 1.
21 (c) In the 2003-2004 academic year, November 15 if the
22 student received notification of eligibility on or after August
23 1.
24 (d) In any other
academic year, September October 15.