House Bill 399 Summary

• Creates the Delaware State Inspire Scholarship Program to provide grant assistance for tuition at Delaware State University for qualified, college-bound Delaware residents pursuing bachelor's degrees.

• Establishes eligibility requirements including state residency, graduation from a Delaware public or nonpublic high school with minimum 80% cumulative average or 2.75 GPA, felony conviction prohibition, enrollment in fall semester immediately after high school graduation, and application for all available federal and state financial aid.

• Sets grant amounts equal to SEED scholarship amounts, with total grants capped at the total amount a SEED recipient would receive over their education, renewable annually provided eligibility requirements are maintained.

• Requires recipients to maintain 2.75 cumulative GPA, complete minimum 24 credit hours annually, earn steady academic progress, complete 10 community service hours per semester, and maintain continuous enrollment for at least 2 semesters per academic year.

• Limits program participation to 8 continuous semesters and requires annual reporting to the General Assembly; act becomes effective upon appropriation of sufficient funds.