SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1177        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 700

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mark C. Montigny

_________________

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 to establish the Bridge the Gap Scholarship to universalize access to community colleges.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

 

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

2/3/2017

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1177        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 700

By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 700) of Mark C. Montigny, Kevin G. Honan, Eric P. Lesser and Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to establish the Bridge the Gap Scholarship to universalize access to community colleges.  Higher Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to establish the Bridge the Gap Scholarship to universalize access to community colleges.

 

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.  Chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 16 the following section:-

Section 16A.  There shall be a Bridge the Gap Scholarship Program to provide universal access for residents of the Commonwealth to public higher education through accredited degree programs offered at community college institutions under section 5 of this chapter.  Such assistance shall apply only after all other federal and state financial assistance has been exhausted.  To be eligible, students must have obtained a high school diploma, or its equivalent, from an institution within the Commonwealth within the preceding two years, maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average during their course of study, complete their course of study within three years, and agree to reside and work within the Commonwealth for at least two years after graduation of such course of study or further degree program within the Commonwealth. If a student does not fulfill the above requirements, the scholarship will be converted into a low interest loan to be determined and administered by the Department of Higher Education and Massachusetts Education Financing Authority (MEFA) with exemptions for financial hardship.

Each community college shall annually consult with their Board of Trustees, local workforce developments boards, and employers to identify current and future workforce needs within such region.  Upon identifying such workforce needs, the college shall certify up to five programs eligible to qualify under the Bridge the Gap Scholarship Program to promote universal access to higher education and workforce readiness. The college shall annually file with the Department of Higher Education those programs certified to receive the Bridge the Gap scholarship. The Department of Higher Education may promulgate regulations to implement this section.