Delaware General Assembly

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 34, TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE TO ESTABLISH THE CHARLES L. "CHUCK" HEBNER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND ADMINISTRATION THEREFOR.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE :

It is the intent and purpose of the General Assembly through this subchapter to provide scholarships to deserving Delawareans in memory of Charles L. 'Chuck' Hebner, an elected member of the State House of Representatives and former Speaker of the House who died March 14, 1999, and to this end establish the Charles L. 'Chuck' Hebner Memorial Scholarship Fund.

(a) This subchapter shall be administered by the Higher Education Commission, hereinafter referred to as the 'Commission'.

(b) The Commission shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to the administration of this subchapter.

(c) The Commission shall annually report to the General Assembly of the State the names of the scholarship recipients and the total amount of expenditures made under this subchapter.

(a) The Commission is hereby authorized to award educational scholarships as follows:

(1) One scholarship shall be awarded for the academic year commencing September 1999 to one person who enters the University of Delaware or Delaware State University;

(2) Two scholarships shall be awarded for the academic year commencing September 2000 and for each subsequent academic year to one person who enters the University of Delaware and to one person who enters Delaware State University;

(3) Three scholarships shall be awarded for the academic year commencing September 2001;

(4) Four scholarships shall be awarded for each academic year commencing thereafter.

(b) Each initial scholarship award shall be provided to a resident of the State of Delaware who will enter the University of Delaware or Delaware State University as provided in this section as a first year, full-time student majoring in humanities or social sciences.

(c) Scholarships shall be awarded in an amount sufficient to meet the costs of tuition, required fees and room and board at the University of Delaware or Delaware State University as provided in this section.

(d) Selection of scholarship recipients shall be based on criteria established by the Commission such that the qualities of academic achievement, community service, participation in extra-curricular activities and promise of academic success in college are considered.

(e) Where several students are judged to be equally qualified for the scholarships, financial need shall be considered in establishing priority position for scholarship awards.

(f) The Commission shall award scholarships only to students who have accepted an admissions offer from the University of Delaware or Delaware State University as provided in this section by a deadline date established by agreement between the University of Delaware or Delaware state University as provided in this section and the Commission.

(g) A scholarship awarded to an entering student is renewable within the limits of appropriations for the program, to a maximum of four awards, provided the student meets the academic progress standards which shall be set by the Commission and communicated in writing to the recipient at the time the initial award is granted.

(h) A student who is awarded a scholarship under this section shall by accepting the scholarship become ineligible to receive any other scholarship or grant funded by the State of Delaware from its General Fund.

(i) Scholarship payments shall be made to the University of Delaware or Delaware State University as provided in this section on behalf of the student each semester that the student is enrolled, provided the student meets all requirements of this section.

(j) No student shall be eligible for the scholarship award who is not a resident of the State for at least one year prior to the date of the award. The place of residence of a student who is either under 18 years of age or dependent on parental financial support shall be the legal residence of the student's parent or guardian who must have qualified to register to vote in Delaware and who is subject to payment of Delaware income tax. A student over 18 years of age, who is not dependent on parental financial support, must meet the federal government's financial self-supporting student definition, and must be qualified to register to vote in Delaware and must be subject to the payment of Delaware income tax, to satisfy the requirements of this section."

Approved June 28,2000