Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §11613, first ¶, as amended by PL 2001, c. 70, §7, is further amended to read:

The authority shall establish the need of a student for a Maine State Grant for an academic year for which the student applies. A student is considered to have a need to qualify for a grant if the total of the expected family contribution, together with any Pell Grant established pursuant to the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, as amended, United States Code, Title 20, and a Maine State Grant does not exceed 75% of the cost of attendance at the institution the student attends. This section does not require that a student receive or, apply for or be eligible for a Pell Grant but only that a student be eligible for a Pell Grant provided, however, that the amount of any Pell Grant that a student is entitled to receive must be included in calculating the amount of a Maine State Grant whether or not the student receives the Pell Grant.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the provisions of the student incentive scholarship program administered by the Finance Authority of Maine by eliminating the need that the student applicant be eligible for a Pell Grant to receive an award under the program.