PRINTER'S NO. 220
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
329
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY WARD, GREENLEAF, SCAVELLO, HUTCHINSON, FONTANA,
TARTAGLIONE, VULAKOVICH, GORDNER, AUMENT, STEFANO, SCHWANK,
SMITH, RAFFERTY AND YUDICHAK, JANUARY 26, 2015
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 26, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," establishing the Ready to Succeed
Scholarship Program; and conferring powers and imposing
duties on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
and the Department of Education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XXII-B
READY TO SUCCEED SCHOLARSHIP
Section 2201-B. Short title of article.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the Ready to
Succeed Scholarship Act.
Section 2202-B. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
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shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"State grant." A grant or scholarship awarded under the act
of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546, No.541), referred to as the
Higher Education Scholarship Law.
Section 2203-B. Establishment.
The Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program is established
within the agency.
Section 2204-B. Agency.
(a) General rule.--The agency shall use funds appropriated
for the purpose of this article from the General Fund and may
accept donations from all public and private sources, including
the Federal Government, to provide scholarships to eligible
students to defray the cost of attending a State grant-approved
institution of higher education that is domiciled and
headquartered with its principal location in this Commonwealth.
(b) Requirements.--The eligibility criteria developed for
the receipt of a scholarship under subsection (a) shall, at a
minimum, require all of the following:
(1) Total annual household income not to exceed
$110,000. With each new award year, the agency may annually
adjust the total annual household income threshold under this
paragraph to reflect any upward changes in the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area.
(2) At least half-time enrollment in an approved course
of study.
(3) Demonstration of outstanding academic achievement.
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(4) Compliance with all aspects of the State grant
program except financial need.
(c) Combination.--A student may be eligible to receive a
scholarship under subsection (a) if the scholarship award in
combination with a State grant award for the same academic year
does not exceed the annually established maximum amount for the
Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program as established by the
agency.
(d) Discretion.--The agency shall make all scholarship
awards under subsection (a) in its sole discretion.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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