The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn tomorow, Feb. 28.  As of this afternoon, the budget conferees have still not finished their work. It is reported that the conferees are close to resolving all of their major differences. The Senate met briefly today at noon for about 20 minutes and went into recess until 4:00 p.m. so that the budget conferees can keep working.  The House of Delegates met for an hour and are recessed until 4:30. House budget conferees are Delegates Putney, Hamilton, Sherwood, Cox, Hogan and Joannou. Conferees appointed from the Senate are Senators Colgan, Houck, Howell, Saslaw, Wampler, and Stosch. 

Three of the four bills benefitting Virginia’s community colleges and its students got tabled in the Higher Education Subcommitee of House Appropriations. SB 1240  (Stosch) would have increased the amount of Two-Year Transfer Grants by $500 for qualifying students with financial need, a 3.0 average, and an associate’s degree from a Virginia Community College or from Richard Bland College. Under SB 1240 , students would receive $1,500 once they transfer; students studying science, teaching, engineering, math, or nursing would receive $2,500.  SB 1214 (Deeds) would have allowed the existing transfer grants to be awarded to students with 60 credit hours from a two-year college, as long as the student was on a university parallel path. Chancellor Glenn DuBois testified on behalf of the transfer grant bills. The majority of subcommittee members felt that increased funding for transfer grants was not a critical priority at this time. SB 1118 (Colgan) was also tabled; this legislation would have created a Community College Scholarship Match program effective July 1, 2010.  Under this program, the state would match contributions raised by each of the 23 community colleges’ foundations and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education of up to $5 million per year. This bill would have had no effect on the current biennial budget, but subcommittee members did not believe that they should commit a future General Assembly to this program. 

Subcommittee members did advance SB 1049 (Whipple)  which broadens the criteria for former foster care students who receive tuition grants from Virginia’s community colleges.  SB 1049 passed the House of Delegates on Feb. 25; it is identical to HB 1599 (Hamilton).  Both bills now await the Governor’s signature.

Posted by Ellen Davenport