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A4298
ASSEMBLY, No. 4298
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Revises eligibility for Educational Opportunity Fund
grants and campus-based Educational Opportunity Fund programs.�
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning Educational Opportunity Fund grants, and
amending and supplementing P.L.1968, c.142.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� Section 8 of P.L.1968,
c.142 (C.18A:71-35) is amended to read as follows:
���� 8.��� (a)� No opportunity
grant shall be awarded to any applicant therefor unless such applicant shall
have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:
���� (1)�� Is and has been a
resident of the State for at least 12 months prior to receiving the grant;
���� (2)�� Will be or is attending
a full-time or other program leading to a degree, or other organized program of
study approved by the institution which he or she is or will be attending;
���� (3)�� Has demonstrated
financial need for such grant, as determined by standards and procedures to be
established by the board, in accordance with the provisions of this and the
preceding article; and
���� (4)�� Has complied with all
rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this act by the board for the award,
regulation and administration of opportunity grants.
���� (b)�� In addition to the
requirements of subsection (a) of this section, the board is hereby authorized
to require the satisfaction of such other requirements as it may deem necessary
to carry out the provisions of this act.
���� (
c)� Notwithstanding any
law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a student enrolling at an institution
of higher education who has previously earned an associate degree or college
credits or who has participated in or completed a dual degree program while
enrolled in high school, in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements
established pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, shall be
eligible for an opportunity grant.
(cf: P.L.1968, c.142, s.8)
���� 2. (New section) A student who
has previously earned an associate degree or college credits or who has
participated in or completed a dual degree program while enrolled in high
school, and who is otherwise eligible to participate, shall not be excluded from
participating in a campus-based Educational Opportunity Fund program at any
institution of higher education.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year next
following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill amends current law
to clarify that any student enrolling at an institution of higher education who
has previously earned an associate degree or college credits or who has
participated in or completed a dual degree program while enrolled in high
school is eligible for an Educational Opportunity Fund grant if the student
meets all other eligibility requirements for the grant.
���� The bill also provides that a
student who has previously earned an associate degree or college credits or who
has participated in or completed a dual degree program while enrolled in high
school, and who is otherwise eligible to participate, shall not be excluded
from participating in a campus-based Educational Opportunity Fund program at
any institution of higher education.