04RS SB238

SB238

WWW Version

NOTE: The hyperlink to a bill draft that precedes a summary contains the most recent version (Introduced/GA/Enacted) of the bill. If the session has ended, the hyperlink contains the latest version of the bill at the time of sine die adjournment. Note that the summary pertains to the bill as introduced, which is often different from the most recent version.


SB 238/FN (BR 1794) - L. Casebier, T. Shaughnessy, B. Guthrie

     AN ACT relating to postsecondary student financial assistance.
     Amend KRS 164.7874 to include a summer session in the definition of "academic term"; define "base GPA award," "KEES award," "supplemental CATS award" and "supplemental Jeff Green Scholar's award"; amend KRS 164.7877, 164.7879 and 164.753 to establish the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) as the primary administrative agency for the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program, in place of the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), with the authority to promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 164.7879 to increase the minimum GPA needed to receive a KEES base GPA award from 2.5 to 3.0, increase the minimum ACT score needed to receive a supplemental ACT award from 15 to 20, beginning August 1, 2004, and equalize KEES awards for a student who graduates from high school in 3 years or less; create a new section of KRS 164.7871 to 164.7885 to provide an additional KEES award of $100 for each "proficient" or "distinguished" a high school student receives on the CATS assessments in reading, science, mathematics, social studies, and the writing portfolio, up to the difference between a student's ACT award and the $500 ACT award maximum; provide a Jeff Green Scholar an additional KEES award of $500 per year; amend KRS 164.7881 to require a postsecondary student to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in order to continue to receive KEES awards, and specify that students with less than a 3.0 shall lose their awards permanently, beginning August 1, 2004; amend 154A.020 to permit the Kentucky Lottery Corporation to expend funds to educate and inform the general public of the use of lottery funds to support postsecondary education and early literacy initiatives in a manner entirely separate from the marketing and promotion of the lottery; direct KHEAA to undertake a study of the KEES program, the College Access Program, and the Kentucky Tuition Grant program and report findings to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the LRC by December 1, 2004; amend 154A.020, and 164.7877 to conform.

SB 238 - AMENDMENTS


     SCS/FN - Retain original provisions of the bill, except delete the provisions permitting the Kentucky Lottery Corporation to educate and inform the public of the use of lottery funds to support education; permit KHEAA to transfer funds from the KEES trust fund to the College Access Program and Kentucky Tuition Grant Program in the event there are excess funds after the disbursal of the full amounts of all KEES awards; make technical corrections.

     SFA (1, J. Westwood) - Provide that the provision relating to a supplement for CATS scores does not become effective until the Kentucky Board of Education has evidence that the CATS scores are valid and reliable and may be reported individually as required under KRS 158.6453(3)(d).

     SFA (2, W. Blevins) - Retain provisions of the Senate Committee Substitute, except remove the provision to provide an additional KEES award of $100 for each "proficient" or "distinguished" a high school student receives on the CATS assessments; remove the provision to provide an additional KEES award of $500 per year to Jeff Green Scholars; remove the provision requiring a postsecondary student to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in order to continue to receive KEES awards; and remove the provisions specifying that postsecondary students with less than a 3.0 GPA shall lose their awards permanently, beginning August 1, 2004.

     SFA (3, W. Blevins) - Retain provisions of the Senate Committee Substitute, and amend KRS 164.7881 to require KHEAA to make an initial disbursal of KEES awards to a postsecondary institution based on the prior year's award amount; require KHEAA to issue a reconciling disbursal of KEES awards within 30 days of receiving a report from an institution; establish that an institution shall not require a student to pay the anticipated KEES award amount prior to the disbursal of KEES awards by the authority.

     SFA (4, W. Blevins) - Amend to provide that the minimum GPA KEES base award begins with a 2.5 GPA but at reduced award amounts for the 2004-2005 academic year.

     SFA (5, T. Shaughnessy) - Retain provisions of SB 238/SCS, except amend KRS 164.7881 to require a postsecondary student to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of the first award period to receive his or her maximum KEES award amount for the second award period, and a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 to receive 50% of his or her maximum KEES award amount for the second award period; require a student to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of his or her second award period and subsequent award periods to receive his or her maximum KEES award amount for the next award period; establish that a student having a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 at the end of the second award period or a subsequent award period shall lose his or her KEES award for all succeeding award periods.

     Feb 25-introduced in Senate
     Feb 26-to Education (S)
     Mar 4-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute
     Mar 5-2nd reading, to Rules
     Mar 9-floor amendments (1) and (2) filed to Committee Substitute
     Mar 10-floor amendments (3) and (4) filed to Committee Substitute
     Mar 11-floor amendment (5) filed to Committee Substitute
     Mar 12-recommitted to Appropriations and Revenue (S)


Kentucky Legislature Home Page | Record Front Page