Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 11, COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, page 431, immediately after line 15, by adding an appropriately numbered new proviso to read:
/ 11. _____ (CHE: Technical College Study) (A) The Commission on Higher Education shall examine the viability of a program that allows a student who graduated from a high school in this state or who attained the state educational equivalency of a high school diploma to attend a state technical college without paying tuition and fees at the institution for a specified period. When conducting the examination, the commission shall identify and consider:
(1) The anticipated number of students who will participate in the program;
(2) The anticipated annual cost of the program and federal, state and other sources of funding that could be used to pay the costs of the program;
(3) Current capacity available at state technical colleges to enroll additional students;
(4) The ability of the program to increase the state's pool of skilled workers and meet projected workforce demands;
(5) The impact of the program to increase educational attainment in the state;
(6) The regions of the state the program would likely significantly increase educational attainment and workforce readiness;
(7) Potential eligibility criteria for students participating in the program; and
(8) The possibility of requiring students to first use financial aid available to the students, including federal funding provided to low-income students for the purpose of paying for post-secondary education.
(B) The commission shall propose criteria for the program.
(C) The commission shall submit a report that summarizes the findings to the General Assembly no later than January 31, 2016. The report may include recommendations for legislation.
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Renumber sections to conform.
Amend sections, totals and title to conform.