Brief(1)
H.B. 2758 would establish a new "Comprehensive Grant Program," as recommended by the Governor. The Governor recommends the creation of a new Comprehensive Grant Program to replace the Tuition Grant Program, the Washburn University Tuition Grant Program, and the Regents Supplemental Grant Program. The Governor's Budget Report states that the new program will serve as an access program geared for full-time financially needy students attending a Regents university or independent college.
H.B. 2758 would abolish the Regents Supplemental and Tuition Grant Programs, and in their place, establish the Kansas Comprehensive Grant Program. Institutional eligibility would be limited to four-year public universities and accredited not-for-profit independent colleges, including Washburn University. Student eligibility would be limited (as with the current programs) to eight semesters for most students. The maximum grant would be determined as under present legislation and would vary according to the type of institution the student attends.
In addition, the bill would repeal the sunset provision currently attached to the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program. This program is set to expire on June 30, 1999.
The House Committee amendment was requested by the Budget Director to eliminate the cap on the number of scholarships which can be awarded under the Vocational Scholarship Program. The Governor has recommended that funding for the Vocational Scholarship Program be increased from $65,000 in FY 1998 to $100,000 in FY 1999.
Background
The Governor recommends creation of the new grant program in his FY 1999 Governor's Budget Report.
The fiscal note states that the Board of Regents would administer the Comprehensive Grant Program within existing resources. In his budget recommendations, the Governor included $9.9 million from the State General Fund for the Comprehensive Grant Program for FY 1999. This is an increase of $940,969 over the amount recommended for the three existing programs in FY 1998.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.