HB 55 - Sunshine Scholarship Program

• Establishes the Sunshine Scholarship Program administered by the Department of Education to provide 100 percent funding for tuition and fees for Florida residents pursuing associate degrees or career certificates from Florida College System institutions, career centers, or charter technical career centers.

• Requires eligible students to be Florida residents, have annual household income of $50,000 or less, complete the FAFSA annually, maintain full-time enrollment (minimum 12 semester hours), and maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

• Mandates that other financial aid (Pell Grants, Florida Public Student Assistance Grants, and Florida Bright Futures Scholarships) be credited first to tuition and fees before the scholarship is awarded.

• Requires students to reside and work within Florida for the same period they received scholarship funds after program completion or disenrollment, or repay the total amount plus interest at the federal student loan rate; exempts military service members and students continuing to baccalaureate or higher degree programs at Florida institutions.

• Limits program coverage to tuition and fees only, with students responsible for additional user fees, textbooks, and college-related expenses; takes effect July 1, 2020.