,i #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #daia ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #h1 #bjae ,ms4 ,plaskett introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to establish a program that enables college-bound residents of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands to have greater choices among institutions of higher education1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands ,college ,access ,act of #bjae4 #b4 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this ,act to establish a program that enables college-bound residents of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands to have greater choices among institutions of higher education4 #c4 ,public school grants 7a7 ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,from amounts appropriated under subsection 7i71 the ,governor shall award grants to eligible institutions that enroll eligible students to pay the difference between the tuition and fees charged for in-,state students and the tuition and fees charged for out-of-,state students on behalf of each eligible student enrolled in the eligible institution4 7#b7 ,maximum student amounts ,the amount paid on behalf of an eligible student under this section shall be-- 7,a7 not more than #aj1jjj for any one award year 7as defined in section #dha of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhh772 and 7,b7 not more than #ej1jjj in the aggregate4 7#c7 ,proration ,the ,governor shall prorate payments under this section for students who attend an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis4 7b7 ,reduction for insufficient appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,if the funds appropriated pursuant to subsection 7i7 for any fiscal year are insufficient to award a grant in the amount determined under subsection 7a7 on behalf of each eligible student enrolled in an eligible institution1 then the ,governor1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,education1 shall-- 7,a7 first1 ratably reduce the amount of the tuition and fee payment made on behalf of each eligible student who has not received funds under this section for a preceding year2 and 7,b7 after making reductions under subparagraph 7,a71 ratably reduce the amount of the tuition and fee payments made on behalf of all other eligible students4 7#b7 ,adjustments ,the ,governor1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,education1 may adjust the amount of tuition and fee payments made under paragraph 7#a7 based on-- 7,a7 the financial need of the eligible students to avoid undue hardship to the eligible students2 or 7,b7 undue administrative burdens on the ,governor4 7#c7 ,further adjustments ,notwithstanding paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 the ,governor may prioritize the making or amount of tuition and fee payments under this subsection based on the income and need of eligible students4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible institution ,the term eligible institution means an institution that-- 7,a7 is a public four-year institution of higher education located in one of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 ,puerto ,rico1 or ,guam2 7,b7 is eligible to participate in the student financial assistance programs under title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj et seq472 and 7,c7 enters into an agreement with the ,governor containing such terms and conditions as the ,governor and institution may jointly specify1 including a requirement that the institution use the funds made available under this section to supplement and not supplant assistance that otherwise would be provided to eligible students from the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands4 7#b7 ,eligible student ,the term eligible student means an individual who-- 7,a7 was domiciled in the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands for not less than the #ab consecutive months preceding the commencement of the freshman year at an institution of higher education2 7,b7 graduated from a secondary school in the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 or received the recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma while domiciled in the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 on or after ,january #a1 #bjac2 7,c7 begins the individual's undergraduate course of study within the three calendar years 7excluding any period of service on active duty in the ,armed ,forces1 or service under the ,peace ,corps ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #beja et seq47 or subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,national and ,community ,service ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abega et seq477 of graduation from a secondary school1 or obtaining the recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma2 7,d7 is enrolled or accepted for enrollment1 on at least a half-time basis1 in a baccalaureate degree or other program 7including a program of study abroad approved for credit by the institution at which such student is enrolled7 leading to a recognized educational credential at an eligible institution2 7,e7 if enrolled in an eligible institution1 is maintaining satisfactory progress in the course of study the student is pursuing in accordance with section #dhd7;c7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajia7;c772 7,f7 while enrolled in an eligible institution1 maintains the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands as the individual's principal place of residence for purposes of the laws of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 and 7,g7 has not completed the individual's first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study4 7#c7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7#d7 ,governor ,the term ,governor means the ,governor of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands4 7#e7 ,secondary school ,the term secondary school has the meaning given that term under section #adaja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #hhja74 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7d7 ,construction ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to require an institution of higher education to alter the institution's admissions policies or standards in any manner to enable an eligible student to enroll in the institution4 7e7 ,applications ,each student desiring a tuition payment under this section shall submit an application to the eligible institution at such time1 in such manner1 and accompanied by such information as the eligible institution may require4 7f7 ,administration of ,program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,governor shall carry out the program under this section in consultation with the ,secretary4 ,the ,governor may enter into a grant1 contract1 or cooperative agreement with another public or private entity to administer the program under this section if the ,governor determines that doing so is a more efficient way of carrying out the program4 7#b7 ,policies and procedures ,the ,governor1 in consultation with institutions of higher education eligible for participation in the program authorized under this section1 shall develop policies and procedures for the administration of the program4 7#c7 ,memorandum of agreement ,the ,governor and the ,secretary shall enter into a ,memorandum of ,agreement that describes-- 7,a7 the manner in which the ,governor shall consult with the ,secretary with respect to administering the program under this section2 and 7,b7 any technical or other assistance to be provided to the ,governor by the ,secretary for purposes of administering the program under this section 7which may include access to the information in the common financial reporting form developed under section #dhc of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajij774 7g7 ,governor's ,report ,the ,governor shall report to ,congress annually regarding-- 7#a7 the number of eligible students attending each eligible institution and the amount of the grant awards paid to those institutions on behalf of the eligible students2 7#b7 the extent1 if any1 to which a ratable reduction was made in the amount of tuition and fee payments made on behalf of eligible students2 and 7#c7 the progress in obtaining recognized academic credentials of the cohort of eligible students for each year4 7h7 ,,gao ,report ,beginning on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall monitor the effect of the program assisted under this section on educational opportunities for eligible students4 ,the ,comptroller ,general shall analyze whether eligible students had difficulty gaining admission to eligible institutions because of any preference afforded in-,state residents by eligible institutions1 and shall expeditiously report any findings regarding such difficulty to ,congress and the ,governor4 ,in addition1 the ,comptroller ,general shall-- 7#a7 analyze the extent to which there are an insufficient number of eligible institutions to which ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands students can gain admission1 including admission aided by assistance provided under this ,act1 due to-- 7,a7 caps on the number of out-of-,state students the institution will enroll2 7,b7 significant barriers imposed by academic entrance requirements 7such as grade point average and standardized scholastic admissions tests72 and 7,c7 absence of admission programs benefitting minority students2 and 7#b7 report the findings of the analysis described in paragraph 7#a7 to ,congress and the ,governor4 7i7 ,authorization of ,appropriations ,the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands is authorized to appropriate to carry out this section1 out of non-,federal funds of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 #aj1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjae through #bjbj1 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the succeeding fiscal years4 ,such funds shall remain available until expended4 7j7 ,effective ,date ,this section shall take effect with respect to payments for periods of instruction that begin on or after ,january #a1 #bjae4 #d4 ,general requirements 7a7 ,personnel ,the ,secretary of ,education shall arrange for the assignment of an individual1 pursuant to subchapter ,,vi of chapter #cc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 to serve as an adviser to the ,governor with respect to the programs assisted under this ,act4 7b7 ,administrative ,expenses ,the ,governor may use not more than #e percent of the funds made available for a program under section #c for a fiscal year to pay the administrative expenses of a program under section #c for the fiscal year4 7c7 ,inspector ,general ,review ,each of the programs assisted under this ,act shall be subject to audit and other review by the ,inspector ,general of the ,department of ,education in the same manner as programs are audited and reviewed under the ,inspector ,general ,act of #aigh 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474 7d7 ,gifts ,the ,governor may accept1 use1 and dispose of donations of services or property for purposes of carrying out this ,act4 7e7 ,maximum ,student ,amount ,adjustments ,the ,governor shall establish rules to adjust the maximum student amounts described in section #c7;a77#b77;,b7 for eligible students described in section #c7;c77#b7 who transfer between the eligible institutions described in section #c7;c77#a77;,a74