House Bill 417
By: Representatives Gaines of the 120th, Hitchens of the 161st, Dickey of the 134th, and
Greene of the 154th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
definitions regarding tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, so as to
revise the definition of approved school; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions
regarding tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, is amended by
revising division (2)(B)(i) as follows:
"(B)(i) A qualified proprietary institution of higher education located in this state
which is a baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher education; which is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools <ins>Commission on
Colleges as a Level VI institution;</ins> which is not a Bible school or college (or, at the
graduate level, a school or college of theology or divinity); which admits as regular
students only persons who have a high school diploma, a state approved high school
equivalency (HSE) diploma, or a degree from an accredited postsecondary institution;
whose students are eligible to participate in the federal Pell Grant program; which has
been reviewed and approved for operation and for receipt of tuition equalization grant
funds by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission; which is
domiciled and incorporated in the State of Georgia; which has been <del>in existence in the
State of Georgia for at least ten years</del> <ins>located in this state since on or before January
1, 2021;</ins> and which met all of the requirements of this subparagraph by January 1,
<del>2011</del> <ins>2021;</ins> provided, however, that the criteria for approval for receipt of tuition
equalization grant funds shall include but not be limited to areas of course study,;
quality of <ins>academic</ins> instruction,; student placement rate,; research and library <del>sources,
</del> <ins>resources;</ins> faculty,; support staff,; financial resources,; <del>physical plant facilities
resources,</del> <ins>instructional campuses, facilities, or other physical sites;</ins> and support and
equipment resources."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.