An Act To Increase College Affordability and the Rate of Degree Completion
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1703
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ALFOND, WILLETTE, BOYLE, BURNS, CAIN, COLLINS, CRAVEN, FLOOD, GERZOFSKY, GRATWICK, HASKELL, JACKSON, JOHNSON, KATZ, LACHOWICZ, LANGLEY, MAZUREK, MILLETT, PATRICK, SAVIELLO, VALENTINO, VITELLI, BEAVERS, BERRY, CAREY, CHIPMAN, DEVIN, DILL, EVANGELOS, EVES, FARNSWORTH, FREDETTE, GOODE, GRAHAM, GRANT, HAMANN, HERBIG, HICKMAN, HOBBINS, MARKS, MOONEN, MORIARTY, MORRISON, NELSON, POULIOT, PRINGLE, RANKIN, ROCHELO, RYKERSON, SANBORN, SAUCIER, WILSON

Legislative Document 
No. 1703 
S.P. 668 
In Senate, January 8, 2014 
An Act To Increase College Affordability and the Rate of Degree 
Completion 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by President ALFOND of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative WILLETTE of Mapleton and 
Senators: BOYLE of Cumberland, BURNS of Washington, CAIN of Penobscot, COLLINS of York, CRAVEN of 
Androscoggin, FLOOD of Kennebec, GERZOFSKY of Cumberland, GRATWICK of Penobscot, HASKELL of 
Cumberland, JACKSON of Aroostook, JOHNSON of Lincoln, KATZ of Kennebec, LACHOWICZ of Kennebec, 
LANGLEY of Hancock, MAZUREK of Knox, MILLETT of Cumberland, PATRICK of Oxford, SAVIELLO of 
Franklin, VALENTINO of York, VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: BEAVERS of South Berwick, 
BERRY of Bowdoinham, CAREY of Lewiston, CHIPMAN of Portland, DEVIN of Newcastle, DILL of Old 
Town, EVANGELOS of Friendship, Speaker EVES of North Berwick, FARNSWORTH of Portland, FREDETTE 
of Newport, GOODE of Bangor, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GRANT of Gardiner, HAMANN of South 
Portland, HERBIG of Belfast, HICKMAN of Winthrop, HOBBINS of Saco, JOHNSON of Greenville, MARKS 
of Pittston, McCABE of Skowhegan, MOONEN of Portland, MORIARTY of Cumberland, MORRISON of South 
Portland, NELSON of Falmouth, POULIOT of Augusta, PRINGLE of Windham, RANKIN of Hiram, 
ROCHELO of Biddeford, RYKERSON of Kittery, SANBORN of Gorham, SAUCIER of Presque Isle, WILSON 
of Augusta. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
CONCEPT DRAFT 
SUMMARY 
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. 
This bill would implement a comprehensive strategy to keep the cost of public 
postsecondary education in the State affordable, thereby increasing the graduation rate 
from state public institutions of higher education. The comprehensive strategy may 
include, but is not limited to: 
1.  Adoption of Oregon’s "Pay Forward, Pay Back" pilot project's model of funding 
public postsecondary education, under which a student enrolled in a public institution of 
higher education, in lieu of paying tuition or fees, contracts to pay to the State a certain 
percentage of the student’s annual income upon graduation for a specified number of 
years; 
2.  Scholarships to provide incentives for degree completion with agreements to 
remain in the State after graduation for specified periods.  Under this program, a full 
scholarship for the 4th and final year of school at a public institution of higher education 
will be provided to students who agree to work in the State for a certain period of time 
following graduation; 
3.  Tuition guarantees that ensure that students will pay the same tuition for 4 years 
while attending one of the State’s public institutions of higher education; 
4.  Low interest rates for student loans issued by the State for students meeting 
certain criteria, such as financial need, academic merit, graduating within 4 years or 
agreeing to work in public service for a certain period after graduation; 
5.  Adoption of performance-based higher education funding that links the level of 
funding of a state public institution of higher education to a metric such as the graduation 
rate of that state public institution of higher education; 
6. Transition from the provision of tax credits for higher education to the provision of 
state grants and other forms of financial aid for higher education; 
7. Increased funding to the State of Maine Grant Program; 
8.  Facilitation of expedient graduation through establishment of dual enrollment 
programs and so-called 3 plus 1 programs, in which students attend community colleges 
for 3 years and transfer for the final year to a 4-year program at another of the State’s 
public institutions of higher education; and 
9.  Expansion of online learning opportunities, including the use of online course 
providers to develop online courses.