A5991

A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, P.L.2021, c.133.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2021, c.133, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purpose specified:

74 DEPARTMENT OF STATE

30 Educational, Cultural, and Intellectual Development

36 Higher Educational Services

2405 Higher Education Student Assistance Authority

GRANTS-IN-AID

45-2405 Student Assistance Programs .............................. $3,500,000

Total Grants-in-Aid appropriation,

Higher Educational Services............................ $3,500,000

Grants-in-Aid:

45 Community College Opportunity Grant – Adult Postsecondary Career and Technical Education........................... ($3,500,000)

Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.2021, c.26 (C.18A:71B-111 et seq.) or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the amount hereinabove appropriated for Community College Opportunity Grant – Adult Postsecondary Career and Technical Education is appropriated for the purpose of providing financial aid grants to eligible adult students enrolled in postsecondary career and technical education programs offered by county vocational school districts for the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters, to pay for the costs of tuition and approved educational fees, including fees for nursing, culinary, and other career and technical education programs that are not already covered by any other State, federal, and institutional need-based grants or merit scholarships. To be eligible to receive a financial aid grant, a student shall: be an adult student, which is defined as a postsecondary student who is enrolled in a postsecondary career and technical education program that prepares the student to earn a license or industry-recognized certification or to take a nationally-recognized exam; be a legal resident of the State in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.18A:71B-2 or P.L.2018, c.12 (C.18A:71B-2.1), except for any requirement under those provisions of law to be enrolled in an eligible institution of higher education; be enrolled in a postsecondary career and technical education program of at least four months in length; be enrolled in a county vocational school district that serves the student's county of residence or be enrolled in an out-of-county vocational school district, in which case the student, if otherwise eligible, shall receive a grant to cover the remaining costs of tuition and approved educational fees, charged at the out-of-county rate of the county vocational school district at which the student is enrolled; not have an annual adjusted gross income that is negative; have an annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $65,000; have applied for all other available forms of State, federal, and institutional need-based grants and merit scholarships and, in accordance with annually established deadline dates, have completed and submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, other financial aid form, or, as applicable, a State financial aid form as required by the authority pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.2018, c.12 (C.18A:71B-2.1); not owe a refund on a grant or scholarship previously received from a State or federal program through any institution or be in default on any loan made under any State or federal student loan program at any institution, unless the student makes arrangements with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to repay the debt; be in good academic standing and meet the minimum standards for academic performance and satisfactory academic progress as defined by the county vocational school district which the student is attending; and be enrolled in between six and 18 credits hours, or the recognized equivalent range or credits as determined by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. In addition to the amount hereinabove appropriated for Community College Opportunity Grant – Adult Postsecondary Career and Technical Education, there are appropriated such amounts as are required to cover the costs of increases in the number of applicants qualifying for awards or to fund shifts in the distribution of awards that result in an increase in total program costs, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill provides a supplemental appropriation of $3.5 million for Community College Opportunity Grant – Adult Postsecondary Career and Technical Education. The supplemental appropriation is intended to provide last-dollar financial aid grants to adult students enrolled in postsecondary career and technical education programs offered by county vocational school districts. Grants provided under the bill would cover the remaining costs of eligible tuition and fees after the application of all other State, federal, and institutional need-based grants or merit scholarships.

Under the bill, an adult student would be eligible for financial aid under the CCOG Program if the student: is a legal resident of the State; is enrolled in a postsecondary career and technical education program of at least four months in length offered by a county vocational school district; is enrolled at the county vocational school district that serves the student's county of residence or is enrolled at an out-of-county vocational school district, in which case the student, if otherwise eligible, would receive a grant under the program to cover the remaining costs of tuition and approved educational fees, charged at the in-district rate for the county vocational school district at which the student is enrolled; does not have an annual adjusted gross income that is negative; has an annual adjusted gross income between $0 and $65,000; has applied for all other available forms of State, federal, and institutional need-based grants and merit scholarships and submitted a financial aid form; does not owe a refund on a grant or scholarship previously received from a State or federal program through any institution or be in default on any loan made under any State or federal student loan program at any institution, unless the student makes arrangements with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to repay the debt; and is in good academic standing and meets the minimum standards for academic performance and satisfactory academic progress as defined by county vocational school district which the student is attending.