H259 - 2023 Appropriations Act. (SL 2023-134)

Overview: Section 8A.7 of S.L. 2023-134 creates the Longleaf Commitment Grant Program (Program) and directs that funds appropriated to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for each year of the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium to be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) for the Program. From the Escheat Fund and the General Fund, SEAA must administer the Program for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium to award grants to eligible students graduating from high school at the end of the 2022-2023 school year to cover tuition and fees at a community college for up to two years. Grants awarded under the Program must be for a minimum amount of $700.00 per eligible student with a maximum grant of up to $2,800 per eligible student per year for up to two years, which includes cost of tuition and a fee allowance.

To be eligible to receive a grant under the Program, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

• Graduate from high school during the 2022-2023 school year or receive a high school equivalency diploma during the 2022-2023 school year.
• Qualify as a State resident for tuition purposes.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2023-2024 academic year and, if applicable, renew the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Have an Expected Family Contribution below $15,000.
• Enroll in the Fall 2023 semester and maintain enrollment in at least six credit hours per semester in curriculum courses at a community college.

SEAA can use up to 1% of the total appropriations for the Program from all funding sources in each fiscal year for administrative costs related to the Program. SEAA must submit the following reports to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee regarding the Program:

• By March 15, 2024, recommendations for a permanent community college grant program that incorporates the goals of the Program established in this section and the Need-Based Scholarship Program for Public Colleges and Universities.
• An initial report by September 1, 2024, and a final report by September 1, 2025, on the implementation of the Program. These reports must contain, for each academic year, the amount of grant funds disbursed and the number of eligible students receiving funds.

This section became effective July 1, 2023.