S382 - Disaster Relief-3/Budget/Various Law Changes. (SL 2024-57)

Session Year 2024

Overview: Section 3J.22 of S.L. 2024‑57 directs The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (Department) and the State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) to enter into a data sharing agreement for the protection of student data related to scholarships by December 2, 2024. The agreement must address the disclosure, sharing, and use of student data for recipients of scholarships and the protection of records maintained by the Department regarding the eligibility of recipients and the records maintained by SEAA as the fiscal agent in disbursing funds for the scholarships. The agreement must require compliance with all applicable State and federal laws governing student data, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g.

No later than 10 business days after the execution of the data sharing agreement, the Department must provide SEAA with all of the following for the 2024‑2025 academic year:

  • The list of recipients of a scholarship deemed eligible by the Veterans' Affairs Commission, the amount of each recipient's scholarship, and a certification by the Secretary of the Department that the information for recipients of a scholarship is true and accurate.
  • Any student data SEAA requests from the Department, in the manner and format requested by SEAA that SEAA deems necessary to administer the scholarship.
  • The recipients who qualify for a scholarship to be funded with monies from the Escheat Fund and any supporting documentation requested by SEAA that was used by the Department for making that determination for an eligible student.
  • Any additional information SEAA deems necessary for its disbursement of scholarships.

SEAA must use the information provided by the Department to acquire certification of the enrollment of eligible recipients and any other necessary information directly from the enrolling institutions in the manner deemed necessary by SEAA for the disbursement of funds, including administering funds through the electronic grant disbursement system utilized by SEAA in a manner consistent with other State funded financial assistance programs administered by SEAA. If SEAA determines that an enrolling institution has not certified the enrollment and eligibility of a recipient consistent with the scholarship requirements and this section, SEAA must notify the Department within 30 days of the determination. The Department must also provide SEAA with any additional information SEAA deems necessary for its disbursement of scholarships within 10 business days of the Department obtaining the information.

This bill was vetoed by the Governor on November 26, 2024, and that veto was overridden by the General Assembly on December 11, 2024. This section of the act became effective July 1, 2024, and applies to the 2024‑2025 academic year.

Additional Information: