HB 867: 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

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 Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to establish a pilot program to provide grants to eligible students to assist with the cost of attending an approved school of barbering, school of cosmetology, school of esthetics, school of hair design, or school of nail care; to provide eligibility; to provide for maximum award amounts; to provide for applications; to provide for rules and regulations and compliance by approved schools; to provide for the collection of data and evaluation of the program; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to read as follows:

"Subpart 2B

20-3-367.

As used in this subpart, the term:

(1) 'Approved school' means a school of barbering, a school of cosmetology, a school of esthetics, a school of hair design, or a school of nail care, which is:

(A) Located in this state; and

(B) Accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(2) 'Eligible student' means a person:

(A) Who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an approved school;

(B) Whose family income is considered economically disadvantaged, based on criteria established by the commission, or who has a financial aid gap; and

(C) Who is eligible for a scholarship or grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.1.

(3) 'Financial aid gap' means the monetary amount remaining after other funding, as determined by the commission, for the cost of attendance certified by an approved school.

(4) 'School of barbering,' 'school of cosmetology,' school of esthetics,' 'school of hair design,' and 'school of nail care' shall have the same meanings as provided for in Code Section 43-10-1.

20-3-368.

(a) Subject to appropriations, the commission shall establish a pilot financial aid program to provide grants to eligible students to assist with the cost of attending an approved school. The maximum total award amount per eligible student shall be $10,000.00 in total. The commission shall not award more than $50,000.00 in grants per year. The commission may provide for individualized eligibility criteria and grant amounts as determined to be the most appropriate for the particular approved school and its student population in accordance with this subpart and the rules and regulations of the commission. The commission shall also establish criteria necessary for eligible students to retain and continue to receive such grants in accordance with this subpart.

(b) Each eligible student wishing to receive a grant pursuant to this subpart shall submit a grant application in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by the commission. In the event a student on whose behalf a grant is paid does not enroll in the approved school, the approved school shall make a refund to the commission in accordance with the rules and regulations of the commission.

(c) Any person applying for a grant under this subpart or assisting a person applying for a grant under this subpart who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or misrepresentation for the purpose of enabling an ineligible student to wrongfully obtain a grant under this subpart shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(d) Each approved school shall be subject to examination by the commission for the sole purpose of determining whether the school has properly certified the cost of attendance, eligibility, and enrollment of students; accurately credited grants paid on behalf of such students; and properly complied with the rules and regulations established pursuant to this subpart; provided, however, that nothing in this subpart shall be construed to interfere with the authority of the school to determine admissibility of students or to control its own curriculum, philosophy, purpose, or administration. In the event it is determined that an approved school knowingly or through error certified an ineligible student to be eligible for a grant under this subpart, the amount of the grant paid to such school pursuant to such certification shall be refunded by such school to the commission. The commission may suspend an approved school from receiving payments under this subpart if it fails to refund any moneys as required by this subpart.

(e) The commission shall collect and monitor enrollment and student record data for the needs based financial aid program established pursuant to this subpart. The commission shall annually measure and evaluate the program. Such evaluation shall include, but shall not be limited to, the total number of grants disbursed, the total dollar amount of grants disbursed, the total number of grants disbursed per approved school, and the total dollar amount of grants disbursed per approved school. The Office of Planning and Budget, the Department of Education, and approved schools shall cooperate with and provide data as necessary to the commission to facilitate the provisions of this Code section.

(f) The commission, in consultation with the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, shall be authorized to define such terms and prescribe such rules, regulations, and procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the purposes of this subpart.

20-3-369.

This subpart shall stand repealed on July 1, 2028."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.