STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 760

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator CUNNINGHAM)

ADOPTED: MARCH 25, 2019

      These floor amendments:

· apply the bill’s provisions to independent institutions of higher education and proprietary institutions whose students are eligible to participate in any student financial aid program administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.  The bill as introduced applied only to public institutions of higher education;

· provide that a degree-seeking undergraduate student enrolled in a county college or proprietary institution must file a degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 30 credit hours of course work.  The bill as introduced required the student to file the plan upon entering the institution;

· clarify that the credit-bearing mathematics and English courses taken in the first 24 hours of course work under the pathway for first-time degree seeking students must be courses that are applicable towards degree requirements; and

· provide that a student who selects a new major or minor, or experiences certain other changes in circumstance, is required to file a revised degree plan with the institution.