Requires any remaining funds in the enacted budget from the RI promise scholarship program or the RI hope scholarship program, after Rhode Island college has satisfied all eligible scholarships to be reimbursed to onward we learn.

Plain-English Summary

This bill deals with how leftover money is handled within two Rhode Island college scholarship programs: the RI Promise Scholarship and the RI Hope Scholarship. Both programs are designed to help Rhode Island students afford college. When the state sets aside a specific amount of funding for these scholarships each year, there are sometimes funds left over after all eligible students have received their awards.

Under this bill, any of those leftover funds — money that wasn't needed to cover eligible scholarship recipients — would be required to be sent to Onward We Learn, rather than staying with Rhode Island College or being returned to the general state budget. Onward We Learn is a nonprofit organization in Rhode Island that provides scholarships and support services to help adults who have some college credits return to school and complete their degrees.

This bill primarily affects Rhode Island College (which currently administers these scholarship funds), Onward We Learn (which would receive the redirected dollars), and adult learners who benefit from Onward We Learn's programs. Students currently receiving RI Promise or RI Hope scholarships would not be affected — they would still receive their full awards as usual. The change only applies to money left over after all eligible recipients have been paid.

The bill has been introduced and sent to the Senate Finance Committee, where lawmakers will review it before deciding whether to move it forward.