An Act To Create the Maine Merit Scholarship Program
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1469
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: DUDLEY, BARSTOW, BARTLETT
Amends: 10 MRSA §1013

Legislative Document 
No. 1469 
H.P.1032 
House of Representatives, March 24, 2005 
An Act To Create the Maine Merit Scholarship Program 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative DUDLEY of Portland. 
17/~ 
1J7·711dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representative BARSTOW of Gorham, Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland. 
Prinleo Oil rl'9ded paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §1013~ sub-§16~ as amended by PL 2001, c. 417, 
§12, is further amended to read: 
16. 
Maine 
College 
Savings 
Program. 
The 
Maine 
College 
Savings Program, as established in Title 20-A, chapter 4l7-E; aHa 
Sec. 2. 10 MRS A §1013. sub-§17. as enacted by PL 2001, c. 417, 
§13, is amended to read: 
11. 
Maine Dental Education Loan Program. 
The Maine Dental 
Education Loan Program as established in Title 20-A, 
chapter 
426T; and 
Sec.3. 10 MRSA §1013, sub-§l8 is enacted to read: 
18. 
Maine 
Merit 
Scholarsh~PrQ9ram. 
The 
Maine 
Merit 
Scholarship Program as established in Title 20-A, section 11681. 
Sec.4. 20-A MRS A c. 419-E is enacted to read: 
MAINE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 
§11681. 
Maine Merit Scholarship Program 
The 
Maine 
Merit 
Scholarship 
Program 
is 
created 
and 
established as 
a 
nonlapsing fund 
under 
the 
jurisdiction and 
control of the Finance Authority of Maine, referred to in this 
section as "the 
authorit~ All revenue credited to this fund 
must be distributed as merit-based scholarships for students who 
have been admitted to the University of Maine System or the Maine 
Community College System. 
The scholarships are for the full or 
partial costs of tuition after subtracting any financial aid and 
other awards or grants affecting tuition costs. 
The scholarships 
may be awarded only to those students who are residents of the 
State and attend Maine high schools at the time of application. 
The scholarships may be awarded only to those students whose 
gnnual family income is less thill.L:JGQLQQ~nd wh~raduate in 
tJ).~ 
top 
10~o of their classes. 
A recipient of a scholarship under 
this section must maintain 
a 
3~rade point average 
while 
attending university to remain in the program. 
The authority 
shall adjust eligibility re~irements to control expenditures or 
increase participation in the program. 
The authority shall adopt 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 
375, 
subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes a merit-based scholarship program for 
eligible students who graduate from high school in Maine and who 
are admitted to one of the institutions of the University of 
Maine System or the Maine Community College System. 
Students 
must have graduated in the top 10% of their classes in high 
school and family income must be less than $70,000 a year. 
The 
scholarships are for the full or partial cost of tuition less any 
financial 
aid, 
awards 
or 
grants 
that 
reduce 
the 
level 
of 
tuition. 
Students must retain a 
3.0 grade point average in 
college in order to remain in the program. 
This merit-based 
scholarship program will be administered by the Finance Authority 
of Maine. 
The Finance Authority of Maine, which is given routine 
technical 
rule-making authority, 
may adjust 
these eligibility 
requirements to control expenditures or increase participation in 
the program.