MS SB2946

Appropriates $39,661,874 from the State General Fund and authorizes $2,609,000 from federal funds, grants, and other special sources to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for financial aid scholarship, loan and grant programs for fiscal year 2019 (July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019).

Prohibits funding for eight specific loan and grant programs (Assistant Teacher Forgivable Loan, Southeast Asia POW/MIA Grant, Public Management Graduate Internship, State Medical and Dental Education Loans, Graduate and Professional Degree Forgivable Loan, Health Care Professions Forgivable Loan, and Family Protection Specialist Social Worker Forgivable Loan) for students applying for the first time after July 1, 2018.

Allocates funding for nine new entering optometry students plus returning optometry students in the out-of-state graduate and professional studies program, with priority given to students eligible under Section 37-106-39.

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

Requires annual reporting on financial aid programs including number of recipients, total awards, average award amounts, and for loans, repayment status; prohibits official transcripts from being issued to students with outstanding loan repayment arrears.