Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §11614, sub-§3-A is enacted to read:

3-A.__Scholarships for students attending private institutions.__Scholarships for students attending private institutions of higher education must be 2 times the amount of scholarships awarded to students attending public institutions of higher education.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §11616, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 559, §10, is amended to read:

1. Length of scholarship; eligibility. A scholarship shall may not be for a period not to exceed of more than one academic year. A student may apply for a new scholarship for each year during the period required for completion of an eligible program of study being pursued by that student. A scholarship recipient who remains eligible shall and who has been determined by the authority to have a financial need according to the criteria set forth in section 11613 must be considered awarded a scholarship in the each succeeding award year during the period required for completion of an eligible program of study.

SUMMARY

This bill revives the statutory provision that required student incentive scholarships awarded to students attending private institutions of higher education to be 2 times the amount of scholarships awarded to students attending public institutions of higher education. This bill also amends the length of scholarship provision by requiring that scholarship recipients who remain eligible under the demonstrated financial need criteria must be awarded a new scholarship for each year during the period required for completion of an eligible program of study.