A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT VARIOUS POLICY CHANGES to IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING REDUCING TIME TO DEGREE AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND to RECOGNIZe THE NEED FOR AND VALUE OF NON‑DEGREE WORKFORCE CERTIFICATIONS, as recommended by the state board of community colleges and the board of governors of the university of north carolina.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part I. enhanced student success through affordable education year‑round
SECTION 1.(a)  Scholarships for summer courses. – Article 23 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
"Part 5. NC College Completes Scholarship.
"§ 116‑209.80.  Summer course scholarship program.
Within the funds available for the program, a student enrolled in a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina or a community college as defined in G.S. 115D‑2(2) may apply for scholarship funds to enroll in a summer course. The Authority shall give priority in the award of scholarships to students (i) with financial need and (ii) who can use summer courses to earn 30 credits in the academic year or accelerate their path to a degree. The Board of Governors and the President of The University of North Carolina shall establish guidance for the Authority for the award of the scholarships for students enrolled in constituent institutions. The State Board of Community Colleges and the President of the Community College System shall establish guidance for the Authority on the award of the scholarships for students enrolled in community colleges. Except as otherwise provided by this section, the Authority shall administer the scholarships pursuant to guidelines and procedures established by the Authority consistent with its practices for administering State‑funded financial aid."
SECTION 1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to allocate to the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) for the purpose of providing summer scholarships to enable and encourage students enrolled in a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina or a North Carolina community college to enroll in a summer course as provided in G.S. 116‑209.80, as enacted by this act. The funds appropriated pursuant to this section for each fiscal year shall be provided for scholarships as follows:
(1)	The sum of up to seven million dollars ($7,000,000) in recurring funds shall be used to provide scholarships to students enrolled in constituent institutions.
(2)	The sum of up to three million dollars ($3,000,000) in recurring funds shall be used to provide scholarships to students enrolled in community colleges.
SECTION 1.(c)  This section applies beginning with the 2020 summer term.

Part II. ENHANCED PATHWAYS FOR North Carolina COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM GRADUATES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
SECTION 2.1.(a)  Scholarships for community college transfer students. – Part 5 of Article 23 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes, as enacted by this act, is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116‑209.85.  Transfer credit scholarship program.
Within the funds available for the program, a student who (i) receives an eligible college transfer associate degree from a community college as defined in G.S. 115D‑2(2) and (ii) transfers to a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina within 12 months of receiving the degree may apply for a one‑time scholarship award in an amount of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000). For purposes of this section, an "eligible college transfer associate degree" is a degree covered by an articulation agreement entered into by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the State Board of Community Colleges. The Board of Governors and the President of The University of North Carolina shall establish eligibility criteria for students, including students that participate in co‑admission or dual enrollment programs, or dual admission programs between constituent institutions and community colleges, provided the students meet other eligibility requirements. Except as otherwise provided by this section, the Authority shall administer the scholarships pursuant to guidelines and procedures established by the Authority consistent with its practices for administering State‑funded financial aid."
SECTION 2.1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to allocate to the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to establish a scholarship program for students who receive an eligible college transfer associate degree from a North Carolina community college and transfer to a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina within 12 months of receiving the degree as provided in G.S. 116‑209.85, as enacted by this act.
SECTION 2.2.  TAC/MCAC career pathways. – For the 2019‑2020 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in recurring funds and two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) in nonrecurring funds to support the work of the Transfer Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Military Credit Advisory Council (MCAC). The funds shall be used to accelerate efforts of TAC and MCAC to create new pathways programs, engage in site reviews, evaluate additional military occupations and courses for credits, and build a searchable database of military credit equivalencies.
SECTION 2.3.  Open educational resources materials. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to reduce student textbook costs through the curation and adoption by The University of North Carolina System Office of high‑quality open educational resources materials for the most commonly taught courses across constituent institutions and community colleges. In curating and adopting high‑quality open educational resources materials, the UNC System Office shall give priority to those courses that universally transfer under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement entered into by the Board of Governors and the State Board of Community Colleges.
SECTION 2.4.  Section 2.1 of this act applies beginning with the award of scholarship funds for the 2019‑2020 academic year.

Part Iii. Increasing Attainment through workforce training
SECTION 3.1.  Workforce development online registration. – For the 2019‑2020 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in recurring funds and the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the purchase of an online registration system for continuing education courses.
SECTION 3.2.(a)  Workforce development multicampus locations. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Forsyth Technical Community College Transportation Technology Center.
SECTION 3.2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Guilford Technical Community College Aviation Campus.
SECTION 3.2.(c)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Richmond Community College Scotland County Campus.
SECTION 3.2.(d)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of five hundred sixty‑six thousand five hundred eighty‑seven dollars ($566,587) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year for the operation of the Wake Technical Community College Research Triangle Park Campus.

Part IV. Effective date
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019, only if funds are appropriated by the Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2019 for this act.