Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program; eligibility; use of funds. (SB440)

Introduced By

Progress

✓	Introduced
✓	Passed Committee
✓	Passed House
✓	Passed Senate
☐	Signed by Governor
☐	Became Law

Description

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program; eligibility; use of funds. Makes several changes to the student eligibility criteria for Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program grants, including (i) removing the requirement that the recipient be a dependent, (ii) requiring the recipient to be enrolled full time, (iii) removing the restriction on the number of years for which the grant may be renewed annually, and (iv) permitting renewal of the grant only if the recipient successfully completes a minimum of 30 credit hours in the immediate preceding award year, unless granted an exception for cause pursuant to State Council of Higher Education for Virginia regulations. The bill permits public institutions of higher education to use Guaranteed Assistance Program funds to provide enhanced awards to students who are enrolled in at least 15 credit hours per term. The provisions of the bill become effectivebeginning with first-time entering freshman class of the fall 2017 academic year. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

Date	Action
01/12/2016	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16
01/12/2016	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16103159D
01/12/2016	Referred to Committee on Education and Health
01/25/2016	Assigned Education sub: Higher Education
01/26/2016	Impact statement from DPB (SB440)
01/28/2016	Reported from Education and Health (14-Y 0-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
01/28/2016	Rereferred to Finance
02/09/2016	Reported from Finance (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/10/2016	Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/11/2016	Read second time and engrossed
02/12/2016	Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2016	Placed on Calendar
02/17/2016	Read first time
02/17/2016	Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/22/2016	Assigned App. sub: Higher Education
02/29/2016	Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 0-N)
02/29/2016	Committee substitute printed 16105859D-H1
02/29/2016	Reported from Appropriations with substitute (21-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
03/02/2016	Read second time
03/03/2016	Read third time
03/03/2016	Committee substitute agreed to 16105859D-H1
03/03/2016	Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB440H1
03/03/2016	Passed House with substitute (95-Y 2-N)
03/03/2016	VOTE: PASSAGE (95-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)
03/07/2016	House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
03/08/2016	House insisted on substitute
03/08/2016	House requested conference committee
03/09/2016	Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/09/2016	Conferees appointed by Senate
03/09/2016	Senators: Saslaw, Dunnavant, Carrico
03/10/2016	Conferees appointed by House
03/10/2016	Delegates: Cox, Greason, Torian
03/11/2016	No further action taken
03/11/2016	Failed to pass in Senate

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 4 clips in all, totaling 6 minutes.

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Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

GUARANTEED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; ELIGIBILITY; USE OF FUNDS. SENIOR SENATOR FROM FAIRFAX, SENATOR SASLAW.

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield): MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL AND SPEAKING TO THE BILL.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield): THE PURPOSE OF THIS BILL IS AN ADMINISTRATION BILL TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND DEFINITELY WITHIN FOUR YEARS IN ORDER TO HOLD DOWN THE DEBT, OKAY, THAT PEOPLE ACCUMULATE THE LONGER THAT IT TAKES THEM TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE. THIS BILL IS HEAVILY I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS HEAVILY SUPPORTED BY NORFOLK STATE AND VIRGINIA STATE. THEY SENT REPRESENTATIVES TO SAY HOW IMPORTANT THIS BILL WAS TO THEM AS WELL AS THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES. BUT, THESE TWO SCHOOLS REALLY SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE A HUGE HELP TO THEM. THIS IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE STUDENTS WHO CAN'T FOR FAMILY REASONS WORK REASONS WHATEVER CAN'T, YOU KNOW, DO 15 HOURS OR 30 HOURS A YEAR THEY STILL WILL GET MONEY THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE PELL PROGRAM, THAT IS ALL GOING TO BE AVAILABLE. WHAT THIS DOSE IS IT SERVES AS AN INCENTIVE AND INCENTIVE ONLY TO GET IN AND GET OUT AND GET IN TO THE WORKFORCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS AND DOING IT ON A FULL-TIME BASIS. OVERALL IT WILL SAVE MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO A, NEED IT AND B, CAN TAKE 30 CREDIT HOURS A YEAR. THAT IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE BILL. THERE IS NO OTHER PURPOSE.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL SENATE BILL 440 PASS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILLS AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 39, NOS 0. AYES 39, NOS 0. THE BILL PASSES. SENATE BILL 645, A BILL RELATING TO THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT; EXEMPT RECORDS CONCERNING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, OR SECURITY INFORMATION.

THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY. HOUSE BILL 568, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE WITH A SUBSTITUTE. THE SENATOR FROM AUGUSTA, SENATOR HANGER. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I MOVE THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE BE AGREED TO. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE BE AGREED TO. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE IS AGREED TO. HOUSE BILL 675, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. HOUSE BILL 700, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. HOUSE BILL 707, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY WITH A SUBSTITUTE. THE SENATOR FROM MECKLENBERG, SENATOR RUFF. THANK YOU MR. SPEAKER PRESIDENT. I MOVE THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE BE AGREED TO. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE IS AGREED TO. HOUSE BILL 711, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY. HOUSE BILL 735, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY. HOUSE BILL 741, REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0. AYES 40, NOS 0. THE SENATE CONCURS WITH THE HOUSE AMENDMENT. SENATE BILL 440 HAS PASSED THE HOUSE WITH A SUBSTITUTE. THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM FAIRFAX, SENATOR SASLAW.

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield): I WOULD ASK THAT WE REJECT THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTE. DEL RAY COX AND I PUT IN BILLS THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT SIMILAR WITH SOME WHAT OF THE SAME GOAL IN MIND AND CHANGED MY BILL TO MATCH HIS AND I CHANGED MY BILL TO MATCH MINE. HOPEFULLY WE GET IT WORKED OUT IN CONFERENCE. JUST A COUPLE OF THE DIFFERENCES HE DEFINES IT TO YOU GET UP TO FOUR YEARS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU IS THAT THE SENATE BILL I INITIATED IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THESE GRANTS YOU HAVE TO TAKE 30 CREDIT HOURS. THE THRUST IS TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF COLLEGE BEFORE AND HOPEFULLY IN FOUR YEARS SO THEY DON'T PILE UP A LOT OF DEBT. AND THERE ARE IN SOME CASES THERE ARE FIVE YEAR DEGREES WHICH MINE WOULD COVER AND HIS WOULD NOT. THE OTHER IS IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR EARLY 20s ARE TOTALLY EMANCIPATED AND NOT DEPENDENT. MINE DOESN'T HAVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BE A DEPENDENT AND HIS DOES. LIKE I SAID, WE CAN GET A LOT OF THIS WORK OUT IN CONFERENCE AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO. TO START ON ITS PATH I WOULD ASK THAT YOU REJECT THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTE.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IT BE REJECTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING OF THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTE WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYES, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: INSISTS ON ITS SUBSTITUTE AND REQUESTS A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE. THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY, SENATOR SASLAW.

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield): MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LOVE THAT WE ACCEDE TO THE REQUEST FOR A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE.

[Unknown]: THE REQUEST HE IS SHALL THE SENATE ACCEDE TO THE REQUEST FOR THE COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield): AYES 40, NOS 0.

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0. THE MOTION IS AGREED TO. CONFEREES ON THE PART OF THE SENATE ON SENATE BILL 440,