Title: Fee Waivers For Students Living in Recovery Residence

Summary: Authorizes FCS institutions, career centers, & charter technical career centers to waive out-of-state fees for students living in recovery residence; prohibits tuition & fees charged to student who is granted waiver from exceeding tuition & fees charged to resident student; provides requirements for such students & waivers.

Full Text:
An act relating to fee waivers for students living in a recovery residence; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; authorizing each Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district, and charter technical career center to waive out-of-state fees for students living in a recovery residence; providing eligibility criteria for such students; prohibiting tuition and fees charged to a student who is granted the waiver from exceeding the tuition and fees charged to a resident student; requiring students to provide written or electronic verification of his or her residence; providing requirements for such verification; providing for an eligibility period for students who provide the required verification; providing for the renewal of the out-of-state fee waiver; providing a statewide limit on such waivers; requiring each Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district, and charter technical career center to report to the State Board of Education the number and value of all such waivers granted annually; requiring the board to adopt rules; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: HB 2022 Section 1. Subsection (21) is added to section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, to read: 1009.26 Fee waivers.-(21)(a) Each Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district under s. 1001.44, and charter technical career center under s. 1002.34 may waive out of-state fees for students who currently live in a recovery residence, as defined in s. 397.311, and are employed in the state and work at least hours per week. (b) Tuition and fees charged to a student wh ois granted an out-of-state fee waiver under this subsection may not exceed the tuition and fees charged to a resident student. (c)1. To receive an out-of-state fee waiver under this subsection, a student must provide written or electronic verification that he or she currently resides in a recovery residence, as defined in s. 397.311, to the Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district under s. 1001.44, or charter technical career center under s. 1002.34 where he or she is enrolled. Such verification must be: a. A lease agreement signed by the student and the operator of the recovery residence; or b. An affidavit signed by a certified recovery residence administrator or clinical supervisor, as defined in s. 397.311. 2. A student who provides the verification required under HB 2022 subparagraph 1. remains eligible for the out-of-state fee waiver for academic year. 3. To renew his or her out-of-state fee waiver, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale and resubmit his or her verification pursuant to subparagraph 1. (d)1. Fee waivers granted pursuant to this subsection may not exceed students statewide each academic year. 2. Each Florida College System institution, career center operated by a school district under s. 1001.44, and charter technical career center under s. 1002.34 shall report to the State Board of Education the number and value of all fee waivers granted annua lly under this subsection. (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this subsection. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.