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SB 5 Connecticut Senate · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

SB 5 establishes the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship program to provide need-based and merit-based financial aid for Connecticut residents pursuing their first associate or bachelor's degree at public or independent colleges in the state. The program allocates funds across three grant types: a need/merit grant (20-30% of funds or $10 million, whichever is greater), a need-based grant (up to 80% of funds), and a minimum $100,000 Charter Oak grant. Eligibility is determined using the student aid index (replacing family contribution calculations) and academic achievement, with awards distributed via a sliding scale based on financial need and available funding. Recipients of the need/merit grant cannot also receive a need-based grant, ensuring distinct funding pathways for students with varying financial and academic profiles.
Issues: ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes need-based and merit-based scholarships for higher education, increasing access and funding for students pursuing associate/bachelor's degrees at Connecticut colleges.95% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action May 16, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Bill → HED Joint Favorable Substitute · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was revised from a Committee Bill to a Substitute Bill with minor formatting adjustments and a reorganization of subsections. The substantive policy content regarding scholarship eligibility, funding amounts, and disbursement timelines remains unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability remain the same; only the document structure and subsection numbering were adjusted.
TECHNICAL

Header information was updated from 'Committee Bill No. 5' to 'Substitute Bill No. 5' with adjusted page numbering.

Subsection numbering was reorganized, moving the need-based grant provisions from subsection (c) to subsection (d) and adding new text to subsection (c) regarding grant eligibility restrictions.

REQUIREMENT

Added language clarifying that recipients of the need and merit-based grant cannot receive an additional need-based award.

Floor votes · Senate May 14, 2025

How they voted

35–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 36
May 14, 2025
D Democratic25
24 Yea 1
96% Yea
R Republican11
11 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
7
Committee
7
Amendments
1
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
SEN. PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
SEN. ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
upper
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
May 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO COMMITTEE
upper
May 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Higher Education and Employment Advancement
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE
upper
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Higher Education and Employment Advancement
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.