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As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
H. B. No. 394
2025-2026
Representatives Troy, Brennan
Cosponsors: Representatives Upchurch,
Brownlee, McNally
A
BILL
To
enact section 3333.27 of the Revised Code
to
enact the Student Choice Grant Program and to make an appropriation.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
section 3333.27 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec.
3333.27.
(A)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Eligible institution" means a nonprofit Ohio institution
of higher education that holds a certificate of authorization issued
under section 1713.02 of the Revised Code and meets the requirements
of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
(2)
"Resident" and "full-time student" have the same
meanings as those adopted by the chancellor of higher education under
section 3333.122 of the Revised Code.
(3)
"State university" has the same meaning as under section
3345.011 of the Revised Code.
(B)
The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer a
student choice grant program and adopt rules for the administration
of the program.
(C)
The chancellor may make a grant to any resident of this state who
meets the following requirements:
(1)
The applicant has been a resident of Ohio for at least two years
prior to application for the grant.
(2)
The applicant is enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor's
degree program at an eligible institution.
(3)
The applicant maintains an academic record that meets or exceeds the
standard established pursuant to this section by rule of the
chancellor.
No
grant shall be made to any individual who was enrolled as a student
in an institution of higher education on or before July 1, 2026, or
is serving a term of imprisonment.
(D)
The grant shall not exceed the lesser of the total instructional and
general charges of the institution in which the student is enrolled,
or an amount equal to one-fourth of the total of any state
instructional subsidy amount distributed by the chancellor in the
second fiscal year of the preceding biennium for all full-time
students enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at a state university
divided by the sum of the actual number of full-time students
enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at a state university reported
to the chancellor for such year by the institutions to which the
subsidy was distributed.
(E)
The chancellor shall prescribe the form and manner of application for
grants, including the manner by which eligible institutions certify
that each applicant from such institution is enrolled in a bachelor's
degree program as a full-time student and has an academic record that
meets or exceeds the standard established by the chancellor.
(F)
A grant awarded to an eligible student shall be paid to the
institution in which the student is enrolled, and the institution
shall reduce the student's instructional and general charges by the
amount of the grant.
(G)
Each grant awarded shall be prorated and paid in equal installments
at the time of enrollment for each term of the academic year for
which the grant is awarded. No student is eligible to receive a grant
for more than ten semesters, fifteen quarters, or the equivalent of
five academic years.
(H)
The receipt of an Ohio student choice grant shall not affect a
student's eligibility for assistance, or the amount of that
assistance, granted under section 3315.33, 3333.122, 3333.125,
3333.126, 3333.127, 3333.128, 3333.129, 3333.21, 3333.24, 3333.26,
3333.28, 3333.372, 3333.391, 3333.393, 3333.421, 3333.61, 5910.03,
5910.031, 5910.032, or 5919.34 of the Revised Code. If a student
receives assistance under one or more of those sections, the student
choice grant made to the student shall not exceed the difference
between the total instructional and general charges of the
institution in which the student is enrolled and the amount of
assistance received under those sections.
(I)
The general assembly shall support the student choice grant program
by such sums and in such manner as it may provide, but the chancellor
may also receive funds from other sources to support the program.
(J)
No grant shall be made to any student enrolled in a course of study
leading to a degree in theology, religion, or other field of
preparation for a religious profession unless the course of study
leads to an accredited bachelor of arts or bachelor of science
degree.
(K)
Institutions of higher education that enroll students receiving
grants under this section shall report to the chancellor the name of
each student who has received such a grant but who is no longer
eligible for all or part of such grant and shall refund all money due
to the state within thirty days after the beginning of the term
immediately following the term in which the student was no longer
eligible to receive all or part of the grant. There shall be an
interest charge of one per cent per month on all money due and
payable after such thirty-day period. The chancellor immediately
shall notify the office of budget and management and the legislative
service commission of all refunds received.
(L)
Notwithstanding any provision of section 121.95 of the Revised Code
to the contrary, a regulatory restriction contained in a rule adopted
under this section is not subject to sections 121.95 to 121.953 of
the Revised Code.
Section
2.
All
items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund.
For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first
column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are
for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act
are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these
fiscal years.
Section
3.
1
2
3
4
5
A
BOR
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
B
General
Revenue Fund
C
GRF
235531
Student
Choice Grants
$0
$95,000,000
D
TOTAL
GRF General Revenue Fund
$0
$95,000,000
E
TOTAL
ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS
$0
$95,000,000
STUDENT
CHOICE GRANTS
The
foregoing appropriation item 235531, Student Choice Grants, shall be
used by the Chancellor of Higher Education to support the Student
Choice Grant Program pursuant to section 3333.27 of the Revised Code.
Section
4.
Within
the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and
Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount
of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine
the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained.
Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act
shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all
applicable provisions of, the main operating appropriations act of
the 136th General Assembly.