Bill Sponsors
Gu, DiPalma, Murray, Gallo, Vargas, Felag, Valverde, Urso, Thompson, and Bell
Committee
Senate Finance
Summary
Select
This legislation amends the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship program, which provides free tuition to the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). The bill expands eligibility in three ways. First, it allows students who briefly attended another college (for up to one semester) to transfer to CCRI and still qualify for the scholarship. Second, it permits students to defer their enrollment for one semester with a written request. Third, it mandates that funds received from the College Crusade Scholarship Act are not counted as financial aid when calculating the Promise Scholarship award amount, allowing students to retain more financial support.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Increases financial stability for lower-income students by excluding College Crusade grants from the "last dollar" calculation, allowing those funds to be used for books, transportation, and living expenses rather than offsetting tuition costs.
- Expands access to higher education by creating a "second chance" pathway for students who attempted a different college but needed to transfer, preventing them from being locked out of the free tuition program.
- Provides flexibility for students facing life challenges by allowing a one-semester deferment of enrollment without losing scholarship eligibility, acknowledging that personal circumstances can delay education.
Cons for Progressives
- Maintains the "last dollar" funding structure, meaning the wealthiest eligible students often receive a larger direct subsidy from the state than the poorest students who already have their tuition covered by federal Pell Grants.
- Continues to restrict the benefit to community college students, failing to provide tuition-free pathways for students seeking four-year degrees at the state's other public institutions.
- Retains the post-graduation residency requirement, which compels working-class students to stay in the state to avoid penalties, potentially limiting their economic mobility.
Pros for Conservatives
- Reinforces the requirement for scholarship recipients to live, work, or continue education in Rhode Island, ensuring that state tax dollars are used to build a local workforce.
- Supports vocational and associate degree levels of education, which are often more directly linked to immediate workforce needs than four-year liberal arts degrees.
- Requires formal written requests and approvals for enrollment deferments, maintaining administrative oversight and standards rather than granting automatic blanket exceptions.
Cons for Conservatives
- Increases state spending by ignoring College Crusade grants in the aid calculation, effectively forcing the taxpayer to cover costs that could have been covered by existing non-profit aid.
- Expands the pool of people eligible for government handouts by allowing students who dropped out of other institutions to claim state funding, potentially subsidizing poor initial planning.
- Further entrenches a government-subsidized higher education system, distorting the market and reducing the incentive for the college to control administrative costs.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- CCRI Students
- College Crusade Scholarship Recipients
- High School Graduates
- Transfer Students
- Parents of College Students
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Finance
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Sections 16-107-4, 16-107-5 and 16-107-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-107 entitled "Rhode Island Promise Scholarship" are hereby amended to read as follows:
16-107-4. Definitions.
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) “ADA” means the American with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as may be amended from time to time;
(2) “FAFSA” means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form;
(3) “Mandatory fees and tuition” are the costs that every student is required to pay in order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel;
(4) “On track to graduate on time” means the standards determined by the community college of Rhode Island in establishing the expectation of a student to graduate with an accredited certificate or associate’s degree within two (2) years of enrollment (recognizing that some students, including students who require developmental education, are double majors, or are enrolled in certain professional programs may require an extended time period for certificate or degree completion);
(5) “Reasonable accommodations” means any necessary modifications or adjustment to a facility, equipment, program, or manner of operation as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794, as may be amended from time to time;
(6) “Recipient student” means a student attending the community college of Rhode Island who qualifies to receive the Rhode Island promise scholarship pursuant to § 16-107-6;
(7) “Scholarship program” means the Rhode Island promise scholarship program that is established pursuant to § 16-107-3;
(8) “State” means the state of Rhode Island; and
(9) “Student with a disability” means any student otherwise eligible pursuant to § 16-107- 6 who has a physical, developmental, or hidden disability or disabilities, as defined in § 42-87-1, that would create a hardship or other functional obstacles preventing participation in this program.
16-107-5. Administration of scholarship program.
(a) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or their respective equivalent offices, at the community college of Rhode Island, shall administer the scholarship program for state residents seeking accredited certificates or associate degrees who meet the eligibility requirements in this chapter.
(b) An award of the scholarship program shall cover the cost of two (2) years of tuition and mandatory fees, less federal and all other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. No grant received by students from the College Crusade Scholarship Act as established in chapter 70 of this title shall be considered federal or financial aid for the purposes of this chapter.
(c) The scholarship program is limited to one award per student as required by § 16-107- 6(a)(7).
16-107-6. Eligibility for scholarship.
(a) Beginning with the students who enroll at the community college of Rhode Island in the fall of 2017, to be considered for the scholarship, a student:
(1) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time (“residency policy”); provided, that, the student must have satisfied the high school graduation/equivalency diploma condition prior to reaching nineteen (19) years of age; provided, further, that in addition to the option of meeting the requirement by receiving a high school equivalency diploma as described in the residency policy, the student can satisfy the condition by receiving other certificates or documents of equivalent nature from the state or its municipalities as recognized by applicable regulations promulgated by the council on elementary and secondary education;
(2) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend the community college of Rhode Island on a full-time basis by the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester LC004032 - Page 2 of 5 immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma;
(3) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification, or for persons who are legally unable to complete the FAFSA must complete a comparable form created by the community college of Rhode Island, by the deadline prescribed by the community college of Rhode Island for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding under the scholarship program;
(4) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis;
(5) Must maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater, as determined by the community college of Rhode Island;
(6) Must remain on track to graduate on time as determined by the community college of Rhode Island;
(7) Must not have already received an award under this scholarship program; and
(8) Must commit to live, work, or continue their education in Rhode Island after graduation.
The community college of Rhode Island shall develop a policy that will secure this commitment from recipient students.
(b) Notwithstanding the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) of this section (“specified conditions”):
(1) In the case of a recipient student who has an approved medical or personal leave of absence or is unable to satisfy one or more specified conditions because of the student’s medical or personal circumstances, the student may continue to receive an award under the scholarship program upon resuming the student’s education so long as the student continues to meet all other applicable eligibility requirements;
(2) In the case of a recipient student who is a member of the national guard or a member of a reserve unit of a branch of the United States military and is unable to satisfy one or more specified conditions because the student is or will be in basic or special military training, or is or will be participating in a deployment of the student’s guard or reserve unit, the student may continue to receive an award under the scholarship program upon completion of the student’s basic or special military training or deployment;and
(3) Any student with a disability, otherwise eligible for a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of this section, as of May 15, 2021, shall be entitled to access this program and shall be afforded all reasonable accommodations, as required by the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including, but not limited to, enrolling on a part-time basis, attaining a high school diploma/GED by age twenty-one (21), and taking longer than two (2) years to graduate with an accredited certificate or associate’s degree;
(4) Any student who enrolled in a postsecondary institution by the semester immediately LC004032 - Page 3 of 5 following high school graduation or the semester immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma and remained in the institution for only up to one semester may enroll and attend the community college of Rhode Island in the semester immediately following and qualify for the scholarship pursuant to this section; and
(5) Any student may defer initial enrollment for one semester at the community college of Rhode Island for the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma with an approved written request and reason and qualifies for the scholarship pursuant to this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
16-107-4. Definitions.
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) “ADA” means the American with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as may be amended from time to time;
(2) “FAFSA” means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form;
(3) “Mandatory fees and tuition” are the costs that every student is required to pay in order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel;
(4) “On track to graduate on time” means the standards determined by the community college of Rhode Island in establishing the expectation of a student to graduate with an accredited certificate or associate’s degree within two (2) years of enrollment (recognizing that some students, including students who require developmental education, are double majors, or are enrolled in certain professional programs may require an extended time period for certificate or degree completion);
(5) “Reasonable accommodations” means any necessary modifications or adjustment to a facility, equipment, program, or manner of operation as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794, as may be amended from time to time;
(6) “Recipient student” means a student attending the community college of Rhode Island who qualifies to receive the Rhode Island promise scholarship pursuant to § 16-107-6;
(7) “Scholarship program” means the Rhode Island promise scholarship program that is established pursuant to § 16-107-3;
(8) “State” means the state of Rhode Island; and
(9) “Student with a disability” means any student otherwise eligible pursuant to § 16-107- 6 who has a physical, developmental, or hidden disability or disabilities, as defined in § 42-87-1, that would create a hardship or other functional obstacles preventing participation in this program.
16-107-5. Administration of scholarship program.
(a) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or their respective equivalent offices, at the community college of Rhode Island, shall administer the scholarship program for state residents seeking accredited certificates or associate degrees who meet the eligibility requirements in this chapter.
(b) An award of the scholarship program shall cover the cost of two (2) years of tuition and mandatory fees, less federal and all other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. No grant received by students from the College Crusade Scholarship Act as established in chapter 70 of this title shall be considered federal or financial aid for the purposes of this chapter.
(c) The scholarship program is limited to one award per student as required by § 16-107- 6(a)(7).
16-107-6. Eligibility for scholarship.
(a) Beginning with the students who enroll at the community college of Rhode Island in the fall of 2017, to be considered for the scholarship, a student:
(1) Must qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time (“residency policy”); provided, that, the student must have satisfied the high school graduation/equivalency diploma condition prior to reaching nineteen (19) years of age; provided, further, that in addition to the option of meeting the requirement by receiving a high school equivalency diploma as described in the residency policy, the student can satisfy the condition by receiving other certificates or documents of equivalent nature from the state or its municipalities as recognized by applicable regulations promulgated by the council on elementary and secondary education;
(2) Must be admitted to, and must enroll and attend the community college of Rhode Island on a full-time basis by the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester LC004032 - Page 2 of 5 immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma;
(3) Must complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification, or for persons who are legally unable to complete the FAFSA must complete a comparable form created by the community college of Rhode Island, by the deadline prescribed by the community college of Rhode Island for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding under the scholarship program;
(4) Must continue to be enrolled on a full-time basis;
(5) Must maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater, as determined by the community college of Rhode Island;
(6) Must remain on track to graduate on time as determined by the community college of Rhode Island;
(7) Must not have already received an award under this scholarship program; and
(8) Must commit to live, work, or continue their education in Rhode Island after graduation.
The community college of Rhode Island shall develop a policy that will secure this commitment from recipient students.
(b) Notwithstanding the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) of this section (“specified conditions”):
(1) In the case of a recipient student who has an approved medical or personal leave of absence or is unable to satisfy one or more specified conditions because of the student’s medical or personal circumstances, the student may continue to receive an award under the scholarship program upon resuming the student’s education so long as the student continues to meet all other applicable eligibility requirements;
(2) In the case of a recipient student who is a member of the national guard or a member of a reserve unit of a branch of the United States military and is unable to satisfy one or more specified conditions because the student is or will be in basic or special military training, or is or will be participating in a deployment of the student’s guard or reserve unit, the student may continue to receive an award under the scholarship program upon completion of the student’s basic or special military training or deployment;
(3) Any student with a disability, otherwise eligible for a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of this section, as of May 15, 2021, shall be entitled to access this program and shall be afforded all reasonable accommodations, as required by the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including, but not limited to, enrolling on a part-time basis, attaining a high school diploma/GED by age twenty-one (21), and taking longer than two (2) years to graduate with an accredited certificate or associate’s degree;
(4) Any student who enrolled in a postsecondary institution by the semester immediately LC004032 - Page 3 of 5 following high school graduation or the semester immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma and remained in the institution for only up to one semester may enroll and attend the community college of Rhode Island in the semester immediately following and qualify for the scholarship pursuant to this section; and
(5) Any student may defer initial enrollment for one semester at the community college of Rhode Island for the semester immediately following high school graduation or the semester immediately following receipt of a high school equivalency diploma with an approved written request and reason and qualifies for the scholarship pursuant to this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.