Tennessee § 49-4-914 - Scholarships awards.

§ 49-4-914. Scholarships awards.

Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any provision of law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, the amount of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship and Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students awarded to a student attending an eligible four-year postsecondary institution while enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program shall be one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750) for full-time attendance for each semester. This award amount shall apply to each entering freshman in the fall term of 2015, and thereafter, and shall continue through the final semester of such student's sophomore year. The determination of a student's status as a freshman or sophomore shall be made by the postsecondary institution attended. Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any provision of law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, for a student described in subsection (a) the award amount shall increase to two thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($2,250) per semester beginning in the student's junior year, as determined by the postsecondary institution attended, and shall continue until the student is no longer eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship under § 49-4-913(b) and (c). Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any provision of law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, a Tennessee HOPE scholarship awarded to a student attending an eligible two-year postsecondary institution shall be one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for full-time attendance for each semester. This award amount shall apply to the initial entering freshman class beginning in the fall term of 2015 and to each entering class thereafter. A student who first received the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, Tennessee HOPE access grant or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students in the fall semester of 2009 or later may receive such scholarship or grant in the summer semester of an academic year as defined in § 49-4-902(2)(A) in addition to the receipt of the scholarship or grant in the fall and spring semesters of an academic year. The amount of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship awarded to a student attending an eligible two-year postsecondary institution that provides on-campus housing shall be the same as the amount provided in subsection (a). Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any provision of law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, the amount of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship for a nontraditional student enrolled full time in an associate degree program shall be one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester at a two-year postsecondary institution and one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750) per semester at a four-year postsecondary institution. These amounts shall apply to students who received a HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students beginning in the fall term of 2015 and prior to the fall term of 2018, and shall continue until reaching a terminating event described in § 49-4-931. Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, the amount of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship and Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students, who enroll in an eligible postsecondary institution prior to the fall term of 2015, shall be determined in accordance with § 4-51-111 and shall be set in the general appropriations act. Acts 2003, ch. 298, § 1; 2005, ch. 481, §§ 23, 24; 2006, ch. 974, §§ 1, 2; 2008, ch. 1142, § 13; 2011, ch. 437, § 3; 2014, ch. 900, § 6; 2017, ch. 448, § 3; 2018, ch. 695, §§ 3, 4. Code Commission Notes. Provisions in subsections (a) and (b), concerning the amounts of Tennessee HOPE scholarships awarded during academic years 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, were deleted as obsolete by the code commission in 2009. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2006, ch. 974, § 3 provided that the provisions of the act shall not be construed to be an appropriation of funds and no funds shall be obligated or expended pursuant to the act, unless such funds are specifically appropriated by the general appropriations act. Acts 2006, ch. 974, § 5 provided that a student may apply for the retroactive award of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship for any semester of the 2005-2006 academic year in which the student would have qualified for a scholarship under the act, had the provisions of the act been in effect during that academic year. TSAC may award the scholarship retroactively, if the student meets all applicable requirements for the scholarship. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 23 provided that it is the legislative intent, when additional net lottery proceeds become available in a subsequent fiscal year, that the next funding priority should be adding additional semesters to the established eligibility retention requirements for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship for students who earn a cumulative 2.75 grade point average. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 24 provided that, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, it is the legislative intent that six million eight hundred thousand dollars ($6,800,000) from the lottery for education account may be used to supplement student assistance awards each year. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 27 provided that: (a) TSAC is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the act. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. THEC is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the act. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 28 provided that the act shall not be construed to be an appropriation of funds and that no funds shall be obligated or expended pursuant to the act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general appropriations act. Acts 2008, ch. 1142, § 30 provided that § 13 of the act, which added subsection (c), shall apply to students seeking postsecondary financial assistance from net lottery proceeds for the 2008-2009 academic year and academic years thereafter. Acts 2011, ch. 437, § 7 provided that the act, which added subsection (c), shall apply to scholarships and grants awarded for the fall semester of 2011 and thereafter. Acts 2013, ch. 453, § 52 provided that: “(a) For students who first received the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, Tennessee HOPE access grant or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students before the fall semester of 2009, award amounts for the 2013-2014 academic year (two semesters) shall be: “(1) $4,000 for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award or HOPE nontraditional scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(a) ; “(2) $2,000 for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(b) ; “(3) $1,500 for an eligible student under the ASPIRE need-based supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-915 ; and “(4) $1,000 for an eligible student under the General Assembly Merit Scholar supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-916 . “(b) For students who first received the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, Tennessee HOPE access grant or Tennessee HOPE scholarship for nontraditional students beginning the fall semester of 2009 or thereafter, award amounts for the 2013-2014 academic year shall be: “(1) $2,000 per semester for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award or HOPE nontraditional scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(a) ; “(2) $1,000 per semester for an eligible student under the HOPE scholarship award pursuant to § 49-4-914(b) ; “(3) $750 per semester for an eligible student under the ASPIRE need-based supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-915 ; “(4) $500 per semester for an eligible student under the General Assembly Merit Scholar supplemental award pursuant to § 49-4-916 ; and “(5) Pursuant to the provisions of § 49-4-920 , the award amount for an eligible student under the Tennessee HOPE access grant shall be $1,375 per semester at four-year schools and $875 per semester at two-year schools. “(c) The 2013-2014 award amount for an eligible student under the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant pursuant to § 49-4-921 shall be $2,000. “(d) The 2013-2014 award amount for an eligible student under the Tennessee HOPE foster child tuition grant shall be determined under the provisions of § 49-4-933 . “(e) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be $1,000 per semester for successful completion of twelve (12) or more semester hours for an eligible student under the Helping Heroes Grant pursuant to § 49-4-938 ; provided, however, that the total amount expended for Helping Heroes Grants shall not exceed $750,000. “(f) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of § 49-4-939 for an eligible student under the Tennessee Rural Health scholarship; provided, however, that the total amount expended for Tennessee Rural Health scholarships shall not exceed $300,000. “(g) The 2013-2014 award amount shall be determined by the Tennessee student assistance corporation in accordance with § 49-4-930 for an eligible student under the dual enrollment grant.” For the preamble to the act concerning the Tennessee Promise Scholarship Act of 2014, please refer to Acts 2014, ch. 900. Acts 2017, ch. 448, § 9 provided that TSAC is authorized to promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of this act, which amended this section, including the determination of student eligibility, leaves of absences, and the distribution of funds appropriated for grants under the program. All such rules shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act compiled in title 4, chapter 5.