MS SB2956

Appropriates $37,661,346 from the State General Fund to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for financial aid scholarship, loan, and grant programs for fiscal year 2017-2018.

Authorizes up to $2,889,000 from federal funds, grants, donations, and special source funds for financial aid programs and as matching funds for GEAR UP Mississippi Scholarship Program for fiscal year 2017-2018.

Prohibits funding for new applicants (after July 1, 2017) to eight specified loan and grant programs including Assistant Teacher Forgivable Loan, Southeast Asia POW/MIA Grant, and State Medical/Dental Education Loans.

Designates $70,000 for the Speech-Language Pathologists Loan Forgiveness Program and $1,500,000 for the Teacher Education Scholars Program.

Requires annual reporting to the Legislature detailing number of recipients, total awards, average award amounts, and for loan programs, repayment status information; prohibits institutions from issuing transcripts to students with outstanding repayment obligations.