(1) The general assembly hereby authorizes the commission to establish a grant program for in-state students having financial need, to be administered in accordance with federal law and regulations and guidelines established by the commission.
The commission shall determine, by guideline, the institutions of higher educationeligible for participation in the grant program, and each eligible institution of higher education shall recommend in-state students to the commission for receipt of a grant.
Grant program disbursements shall be handled by the institution of higher education,subject to audit and review as provided in section 23-3.5-104.
Upon commencement of participation in the grant program, no participating institution of higher education shall decrease the amount of its own funds spent for student aid below the amount so spent prior to participation in the grant program.
In determining the amount of a grant, the commission shall consider only that portionof an in-state student's financial need which would have existed were the nonpublic institution's tuition no greater than the highest in-state tuition rate charged by a comparable state institution of higher education.
Source: L. 77: Entire article added, p. 1105, § 1, effective July 1.