HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1105        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Daniel M. Donahue

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the creation of the battlefield to STEM field incentive program.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1105        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 631

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1039 OF 2015-2016.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to the creation of the battlefield to STEM field incentive program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The first paragraph of subsection (c) of section 217 of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in section 12 of chapter 165 of the acts of 2014, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “network” the following:- ; a veteran with expertise in a STEM field.

SECTION 2. Subsection (b) of section 2MMM of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

In addition to the foregoing, the grants and other disbursements and activities of the Pipeline Fund shall annually fund and support the Battlefield to STEM Program established in section 76 of chapter 10.

SECTION 3. Subsection (d) of said section 2MMM of said chapter 29, as amended by section 50 of chapter 165 of the acts of 2014, is hereby further amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:-

When promulgating policies, rules or regulations related to the implementation of the second paragraph of said subsection (b), the board of higher education shall consult with the state treasurer, the adjutant general and the commissioner of veterans’ affairs.  The commissioner of higher education shall file any policies, rules and regulations with the joint committee on education, the joint committee on higher education, the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the joint committee on labor and workforce development and, where appropriate, the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs for review and comment at least 30 days before the effective date of the policies, rules or regulations.

SECTION 4. Chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 76. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Completed 1 year of instruction”, having successfully earned sufficient course credit and grades to advance to the subsequent annual division of academic standing as defined in the student handbook of the institution attended, or to graduate from such institution.

“Demonstrated academic promise”, having achieved a score equal or superior to the seventy-fifth percentile in the period tested on the SAT, ACT, Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or Armed Forces Qualification Test, or having received signed and sealed letters from 2 individual faculty members at the institution providing the STEM designated course of educational pursuit, certifying that the applicant has demonstrated academic achievement above and beyond what is typically expected.

“STEM designated course of educational pursuit”, an educational program, administered by an educational institution located within the commonwealth and accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., which terminates in the award of a baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degree, the focus of which is listed on STEM- Designated Degree Program List maintained the United States Department of Homeland Security.

“Veteran”, an individual who has served in the United States Army, Army of the United States, Army Reserves, United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States Coast Guard, United States Coast Guard Reserve, Army Nurse Corps, Navy Nurse Corps, United States Air Force, United States Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, or Army National Guard for 1 or more days as part of a campaign or expedition for which a campaign or service award has been authorized, and who was discharged or released from such service under honorable conditions.

(b) There is hereby established a Battlefield to STEM Program, which shall provide financial support to veterans who have completed 1 year of instruction in a STEM designated course of educational pursuit  and have demonstrated academic promise.  The program shall provide each veteran whose application is accepted pursuant to the process established in subsection (c) with  the sum of $5,000 per academic year, for a period of no more than 4 academic years.

The program shall be administered by the state treasurer, in consultation with the commissioner of higher education, the adjutant general and the commissioner of veterans’ affairs.

(c) Applications for the program shall be filed with the state treasurer, upon forms that the treasurer shall provide. The adjutant general and the commissioner of higher education shall certify to the state treasurer any information necessary to establish that an applicant or educational program has satisfied the requirements of this section or to otherwise carry out the program.

(d) Each applicant shall submit the following as a part of his or her application:-

(1) A copy of form DD-214;

(2) An official academic transcript certifying the completion of 1 academic year;

(3) A copy of form DD-1966/1 or equivalent documentation; and

(4) Documentation sufficient to verify that the applicant has demonstrated academic promise in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(e) The state treasurer shall act upon all applications made pursuant to this section, and may expend not more than 5% of  the sum of the funds designated for the program for administrative and clerical assistance.

(f) There shall be a program review board, which shall hear the complaint of any applicant aggrieved by a decision of the state treasurer.  The program review board shall consist of a member of the department of the state treasurer, designated by the state treasurer, an assistant attorney general, designated by the attorney general, the adjutant general or his designee.  Each applicant so aggrieved shall be entitled to a hearing in front of the board.  The board shall provide due notice of the hearing to the applicant, and the decision of the board as to any receipt of program funds shall be final.

(g) The state treasurer may, in consultation with the commissioner of higher education, the adjutant general, and the commissioner of veterans’ affairs, issue rules and regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of this section.