173.2553.  Grant established for postsecondary education — definitions — eligibility — implementation of program — sunset provision — fund created, use of moneys — rules. — 1.  There is hereby established a "Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant", and any moneys appropriated by the general assembly for this program shall be deposited in the fund created in subsection 13 of this section and shall be used to provide grants for Missouri citizens to attend an approved Missouri postsecondary institution of their choice in accordance with the provisions of this section.

  2.  The definitions of terms set forth in section 173.1102 shall be applicable to such terms as used in this section and section 173.2554^*.  In addition, the following terms shall mean:

  (1)  "Active apprentice status", formal participation in an apprenticeship that meets any related requirements as defined by the organization providing the apprenticeship or the United States Department of Labor;

  (2)  "Board", the coordinating board for higher education;

  (3)  "Eligible apprentice", an individual who:

  (a)  Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;

  (b)  Is a Missouri resident as determined by reference to standards promulgated by the coordinating board;

  (c)  Has active apprentice status in an eligible apprenticeship;

  (d)  Has an adjusted gross income as reported on their Missouri individual income tax return that does not exceed eighty thousand dollars for married filing joint taxpayers or forty thousand dollars for all other taxpayers; and

  (e)  Is twenty-five years of age or older at the time of entering the apprenticeship or has not been enrolled in a postsecondary education program, other than one related to the current apprenticeship, for the prior two calendar years;

  (4)  "Eligible apprenticeship", a United States Department of Labor approved apprenticeship, as defined under 29 CFR Part 29, conducted within the state of Missouri that prepares a participant to enter employment in an area of occupational shortage as determined by the coordinating board;

  (5)  "Eligible program of study", a program of instruction:

  (a)  Resulting in the award of a certificate, undergraduate degree, or other industry-recognized credential; and

  (b)  That has been designated by the coordinating board as preparing students to enter an area of occupational shortage as determined by the board;

  (6)  "Eligible student", an individual who:

  (a)  Has completed and submitted a FAFSA for the academic year for which the grant is requested or if the student is enrolled, or is enrolling, with an eligible training provider that does not participate in federal student aid programs, has provided documentation of their adjusted gross income as determined by the board;

  (b)  Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;

  (c)  Is a Missouri resident for at least two years prior to receiving a grant pursuant to the fast track workforce incentive grant program as determined by reference to standards promulgated by the coordinating board, provided that this paragraph shall not apply to an individual who is an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been transferred to the state of Missouri, or his or her spouse;

  (d)  Is enrolled, or plans to enroll, at least half-time as a student in an eligible undergraduate program of study offered by an approved public, private, or virtual institution, as defined in section 173.1102 or by an eligible training provider;

  (e)  Has an adjusted gross income, as reported on the FAFSA or other documentation as determined by the board, that does not exceed eighty thousand dollars for married filing joint taxpayers or forty thousand dollars for all other taxpayers; and

  (f)  Is twenty-five years of age or older at the time of enrollment or has not been enrolled in an educational program for the prior two academic years;

  (7)  "Eligible training provider", a training organization listed in the state of Missouri eligible training provider system maintained by the office of workforce development in the department of higher education and workforce development;

  (8)  "FAFSA", the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, as maintained by the United States Department of Education;

  (9)  "Fast track grant", an amount of moneys paid by the state of Missouri to a student under the provisions of this section;

  (10)  "Graduation", completion of a program of study as indicated by the award of a certificate, undergraduate degree, or other industry-recognized credential;

  (11)  "Qualifying employment", full-time employment of a Missouri resident at a workplace located within the state of Missouri, or self-employment while a Missouri resident, with at least fifty percent of an individual's annual income coming from self-employment, either of which result in required returns of income in accordance with section 143.481;

  (12)  "Recipient", an eligible student, an eligible apprentice, a renewal apprentice, or a renewal student who receives a fast track grant under the provisions of this section;

  (13)  "Related educational costs", direct costs incurred by an individual as part of an eligible apprenticeship program, such as, but not limited to, tools, books, and uniforms;

  (14)  "Renewal apprentice", an eligible apprentice who remains in compliance with the provisions^** of this section, has received the grant as an initial apprentice, maintains active apprentice status, and who has not received a bachelor's degree;

  (15)  "Renewal student", an eligible student who remains in compliance with the provisions of this section, has received a grant as an initial recipient, maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least two and one-half on a four-point scale or the equivalent, makes satisfactory academic degree progress as defined by the institution, with the exception of grade point average, and has not received a bachelor's degree.

  3.  Standards of eligibility for renewed assistance shall be the same as for an initial award of financial assistance; except that, for a renewal student, an applicant shall demonstrate a grade point average of two and one-half on a four-point scale, or the equivalent on another scale.

  4.  Eligibility for a grant expires upon the earliest of:

  (1)  Receipt of the grant for four semesters or the equivalent;

  (2)  Receipt of a bachelor's degree; or

  (3)  For an eligible student, reaching two hundred percent of the time typically required to complete the program of study.

  5.  The coordinating board shall initially designate eligible programs of study by January 1, 2020, in connection with local education institutions, regional business organizations, and other stakeholders.  The coordinating board shall annually review the list of eligible programs of study and occupations relating to eligible apprenticeships and make changes to the program list as it determines appropriate.

  6.  The coordinating board shall be the administrative agency for the implementation of the program established by this section and section 173.2554^*.  The coordinating board shall promulgate reasonable rules and regulations for the exercise of its functions and the effectuation of the purposes of this section and section 173.2554^*.  The coordinating board shall prescribe the form and the time and method of filing applications and supervise the processing thereof.  The coordinating board shall determine the criteria for eligibility of applicants and shall evaluate each applicant's eligibility.  The coordinating board shall select qualified recipients to receive grants, make such awards of financial assistance to qualified recipients, and determine the manner and method of payment to the recipients.

  7.  The coordinating board shall determine eligibility for renewed assistance on the basis of annual applications.  As a condition to consideration for initial or renewed assistance, the coordinating board may require the applicant and the applicant's spouse to execute forms of consent authorizing the director of revenue to compare financial information submitted by the applicant with the Missouri individual income tax returns of the applicant, and the applicant's spouse, for the taxable year immediately preceding the year for which application is made, and to report any discrepancies to the coordinating board.

  8.  Grants shall be awarded in an amount equal to the actual tuition and general fees charged of an eligible student, after all federal nonloan aid, state student aid, and any other governmental student financial aid are applied.  If a grant amount is reduced to zero due to the receipt of other aid, the eligible student shall receive an award of up to five hundred dollars or the remaining cost of attendance as calculated by the institution after all nonloan student aid has been applied, whichever is less, per academic term.  Grants shall also be awarded in an amount equal to the related educational costs for an eligible apprentice after all other governmental assistance provided for the apprenticeship has been applied.

  9.  If appropriated funds are insufficient to fund the program as described, students and apprentices applying for renewed assistance shall be given priority until all funds are expended.

  10.  An eligible student that is the recipient of financial assistance may transfer from one approved public, private, or virtual institution, or eligible training provider to another without losing eligibility for assistance under this section, but the coordinating board shall make any necessary adjustments in the amount of the award.  If a recipient of financial assistance at any time is entitled to a refund of any tuition or fees under the rules and regulations of the institution in which he or she is enrolled, the institution shall pay the portion of the refund that may be attributed to the grant to the coordinating board.  The coordinating board shall use these refunds to make additional awards under the provisions of this section.

  11.  Persons who receive fast track grants under this section shall be required to submit proof of residency and qualifying employment to the coordinating board for higher education within thirty days of completing each twelve months of qualifying employment until the three-year employment obligation is fulfilled.

  12.  Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:

  (1)  The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically on August 28, 2029, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and

  (2)  If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically six years after the effective date of the reauthorization; and

  (3)  This section shall terminate on December thirty-first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.

  13.  (1)  There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant Fund".  The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements.  The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely by the coordinating board for the purposes of this section.

  (2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.

  (3)  The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested.  Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund.

  14.  The coordinating board shall have the authority to promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.  Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028.  This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2019, shall be invalid and void.