A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the minimum wage worker scholarship fund.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 23 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116‑209.46.  Minimum Wage Worker Scholarship Fund.
(a)	Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:
(1)	Eligible institution. – A school that is:
a.	A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina as defined in G.S. 116‑2(4);
b.	A community college as defined in G.S. 115D‑2(2);
c.	A nonprofit postsecondary institution as defined in G.S. 116‑22(1) or G.S. 116‑43.5(a)(1); or
d.	A postsecondary institution owned or operated by a hospital authority as defined in G.S. 131E‑16(14) or school of nursing affiliated with a nonprofit postsecondary institution as defined in G.S. 116‑22(1).
(2)	Title IV. – Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
(b)	Establish Fund. – The Minimum Wage Worker Scholarship Fund is established. The purpose of the Fund is to provide scholarships to students who have worked long term in minimum wage jobs and are pursuing a college degree. The scholarships shall be available for part‑time or full‑time coursework. The Authority shall administer the Fund.
(c)	Eligibility Requirements for a Scholarship. – The Authority shall develop criteria for awarding scholarships from the Fund that include the following:
(1)	The student shall have worked full time in a minimum wage or subminimum wage job for at least 18 consecutive months of the 24‑month period immediately preceding the student's application. The student shall report the amount of time that the student has worked in a minimum wage or subminimum wage job on the application for financial aid. Applicants who have worked the greatest number of consecutive months at such jobs shall receive special consideration in awarding the scholarships.
(2)	The student shall qualify as a legal resident of North Carolina and as a resident for tuition purposes in accordance with definitions of residency that may from time to time be adopted by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and published in the residency manual of the Board of Governors.(3)	The student shall meet enrollment standards by one of the following methods:
a.	Being admitted and enrolled in a basic skills program at a community college as defined in G.S. 115D‑2(2). In order to continue to be eligible for a scholarship for a second academic year, the student shall meet achievement standards by maintaining satisfactory academic progress to enable the student to enter a degree, diploma, or certificate program at the community college in which the student is enrolled at the end of the second academic year or sooner.
b.	Being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate student in a matriculated status at an eligible postsecondary institution. In order to continue to be eligible for a scholarship for subsequent academic years, the student shall meet achievement standards by maintaining satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the eligible postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled.
(4)	The student shall be an eligible independent student. For purposes of this subdivision, an "eligible independent student" is a student who is classified as independent for the Title IV programs or is not a ward or dependent of the court.
(5)	A student shall not receive a scholarship for study in a basic skills program for more than two full academic years. The student shall not receive a scholarship under this Article for more than four full academic years, including the academic years spent in a basic skills program.
(d)	Amount of Scholarship Awards. – To the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the following shall apply:(1)	A scholarship for a minimum wage worker awarded to a student admitted to and enrolled in a basic skills program at an eligible postsecondary institution shall not exceed eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) per academic year.(2)	A scholarship for a minimum wage worker awarded to a student who is not eligible for any federal Pell Grant and who is admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate student in a matriculated status at an eligible postsecondary institution shall not exceed eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) per academic year.
(3)	A scholarship for a minimum wage worker awarded to a student who is eligible for a federal Pell Grant shall be based upon the enrollment status and expected family contribution of the student and shall not exceed twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) per academic year.(4)	Any other scholarship for a student at an eligible postsecondary institution shall be based upon the enrollment status and expected family contribution of the student and shall not exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000) per academic year.
(5)	No student shall receive a scholarship in an amount, that when combined with all other federal and State financial aid received by the student, exceeds the student's costs of attendance per academic year as defined for federal Title IV programs.
(e)	Rule‑Making Authority. – The Authority shall adopt rules to administer this Fund.
(f)	Report to the General Assembly. – The Authority shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 1 regarding the Fund and scholarships awarded from the Fund."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.