§ 6-85-219 - Reports to legislative committees. - Arkansas Statutes

6-85-219. Reports to legislative committees.

(a) (1) Quarterly during fiscal years 2010 and 2011, the Department of Higher Education shall report to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee:

(A) The information required by subsection (b) of this section to the extent the information is available;

(B) The costs of administering scholarships funded with net proceeds from the state lottery;

(C) Projected levels of state funding for scholarships and grants;

(D) Recommendations for changes to the program, including without limitation adjustments to eligibility requirements of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program and award levels; and

(E) Other data the committee or the General Assembly may require.

(2) The Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee may specify criteria related to any item of information required by this section.

(b) (1) Annually by July 1, the department shall report to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee in the manner and format that the committee requires on all state-supported student financial assistance awarded by the department and awarded by approved institutions of higher education.

(2) The information provided shall include without limitation:

(A) Current year expenditures for scholarships and grants under the program;

(B) Projected obligations for succeeding years from each scholarship or grant funding source;

(C) Fund balances for the:

(i) Higher Education Grants Fund Account; and

(ii) Trust accounts maintained by the Director of the Department of Higher Education to hold the net proceeds from the state lottery;

(D) An evaluation of whether the net proceeds from the state lottery available for the program supplements and does not supplant nonlottery state educational resources;

(E) Recommendations for changes to the program, including without limitation:

(i) Adjustments to the eligibility requirements of the program; and

(ii) Increases or decreases in the amounts awarded for an Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship based on the amount of net proceeds from the state lottery available; and

(F) Any other information that the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee or the General Assembly may request.

(c) The department shall report to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Joint Budget Committee on the compliance with 6-85-216 by each approved institution of higher education.

(d) The Bureau of Legislative Research shall report to the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Joint Budget Committee on:

(1) The compliance with 6-85-216 by approved institutions of higher education; and

(2) The status of reporting by the department under 6-85-217.