Honorable Terry M. Wilson, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB5333 by Bonnen (relating to the establishment of the STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship program.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unavailability of data related to the number of eligible students that would receive fellowships and funding available for the fellowships.
The bill would create the STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship Program at the Higher Education Coordinating Board (Board) to award fellowships to eligible research doctoral students to conduct research at a general academic teaching institution. The Board, in consultation with general academic institutions, would be required to draft rules regarding eligibility criteria for the program and the amount and permissible uses of a fellowship awarded under the program.
It is assumed that any costs associated with administering the program could be absorbed using existing resources. The fiscal impact cannot be determined but would be dependent on the number of eligible students that would receive a fellowship and funding available for the fellowships.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.