HB867: HB867 Georgia Student Finance Authority; grants to eligible students to assist with cost of attending an approved school of barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, hair design, or nail care; establish pilot program

25 LC 61 0228 House Bill 867 By: Representatives Barnes of the 86th, Glaize of the 67th, Burnough of the 77th, Mitchell of the 88th, Schofield of the 63rd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Of ficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, s o as to establish a pilot2 program to provide grants to eligible students to assist with the cost of attending an approved3 school of barbering, school of cosmetology, school of esthetics , school of hair design, or4 school of nail care; to provide eligibility; to provide for ma ximum award amounts; to5 provide for applications; to provide for rules and regulations and compliance by approved6 schools; to provide for the collection of data and evaluation of the program; to provide for7 automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to repeal con flicting laws; and for other8 purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,12 relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to13 read as follows:14 H. B. 867 - 1 - 25 LC 61 0228 "Subpart 2B15 20-3-367.16 As used in this subpart, the term:17 (1) 'Approved school' means a school of barbering, a school of cosmetology, a school of18 esthetics, a school of hair design, or a school of nail care, which is:19 (A) Located in this state; and20 (B) Accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United21 States Department of Education.22 (2) 'Eligible student' means a person:23 (A) Who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an approved school;24 (B) Whose family income is considered economically disadvantaged, based on criteria25 established by the commission, or who has a financial aid gap; and26 (C) Who is eligible for a scholarship or grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.1.27 (3) 'Financial aid gap' means the monetary amount remaining af ter other funding, as28 determined by the commission, for the cost of attendance certified by an approved school.29 (4) 'School of barbering,' 'school of cosmetology,' school of esthetics,' 'school of hair30 design,' and 'school of nail care' shall have the same meanings as provided for in Code31 Section 43-10-1.32 20-3-368.33 (a) Subject to appropriations, the commission shall establish a pilot financial aid program34 to provide grants to eligible students to assist with the cost of attending an approved school.35 The maximum total award amount per eligible student shall be $1 0,000.00 in total. The36 commission shall not award more than $50,000.00 in grants per y ear. The commission37 may provide for individualized eligibility criteria and grant amounts as determined to be38 the most appropriate for the particular approved school and its student population in39 H. B. 867 - 2 - 25 LC 61 0228 accordance with this subpart and the rules and regulations of t he commission. The40 commission shall also establish criteria necessary for eligible students to retain and41 continue to receive such grants in accordance with this subpart.42 (b) Each eligible student wishing to receive a grant pursuant to this subpart shall submit43 a grant application in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by44 the commission. In the event a student on whose behalf a grant is paid does not enroll in45 the approved school, the approved school shall make a refund to the commission in46 accordance with the rules and regulations of the commission.47 (c) Any person applying for a grant under this subpart or assisting a person applying for48 a grant under this subpart who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or49 misrepresentation for the purpose of enabling an ineligible student to wrongfully obtain a50 grant under this subpart shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.51 (d) Each approved school shall be subject to examination by the commission for the sole52 purpose of determining whether the school has properly certifie d the cost of attendance,53 eligibility, and enrollment of students; accurately credited gr ants paid on behalf of such54 students; and properly complied with the rules and regulations established pursuant to this55 subpart; provided, however, that nothing in this subpart shall be construed to interfere with56 the authority of the school to determine admissibility of stude nts or to control its own57 curriculum, philosophy, purpose, or administration. In the event it is determined that an58 approved school knowingly or through error certified an ineligi ble student to be eligible59 for a grant under this subpart, the amount of the grant paid to such school pursuant to such60 certification shall be refunded by such school to the commissio n. The commission may61 suspend an approved school from receiving payments under this subpart if it fails to refund62 any moneys as required by this subpart.63 (e) The commission shall collect and monitor enrollment and student record data for the64 needs based financial aid program established pursuant to this subpart. The commission65 shall annually measure and evaluate the program. Such evaluation shall include, but shall66 H. B. 867 - 3 - 25 LC 61 0228 not be limited to, the total number of grants disbursed, the to tal dollar amount of grants67 disbursed, the total number of grants disbursed per approved sc hool, and the total dollar68 amount of grants disbursed per approved school. The Office of Planning and Budget, the69 Department of Education, and approved schools shall cooperate with and provide data as70 necessary to the commission to facilitate the provisions of this Code section.71 (f) The commission, in consultation with the State Board of Co smetology and Barbers,72 shall be authorized to define such terms and prescribe such rul es, regulations, and73 procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the purposes of this subpart.74 20-3-369.75 This subpart shall stand repealed on July 1, 2028."76 SECTION 2.77 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.78 H. B. 867 - 4 -