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Panels approve replacement scholarship system, deliberate funding-source change for Millennium Scholarship administration
Summary
Committees approved funding to replace the Millennium Scholarship administrative system and approved related operating enhancements; they also considered and approved a recommendation to change administrative funding sources but left statutory cap changes to future legislation.
The committees approved decision units funding a replacement scholarship system for the Millennium Scholarship administration and related operating enhancements, and debated a funding-source revision that would shift administrative costs from the College Savings Endowment Account to the Millennium Scholarship Trust Fund beginning in FY27.
Fiscal staff described the office's in‑house ACE legacy system (approximately 25 years old) as unsupported by the Office of the Chief Information Officer and unable to meet current security and performance standards. The executive recommendation included $997,038 to replace the system and $15,782 for shared customer relationship management and other enhancements. The proposed funding mix was $48,849 from the College Savings Endowment Account and $948,189 from the Millennium Scholarship Trust Fund over the biennium.
Staff and the office discussed statutory limits on the use of tobacco settlement revenue for administrative costs (NRS 396.926 limits administrative funding from tobacco settlement revenue to 3% of receipts; use of the College Savings Endowment Account provides an additional statutory mechanism). The Governor's Finance Office submitted a bill draft request to increase the administrative cap referenced in statute from 3% to 10% to permit funding the administrative costs from the Millennium Scholarship Trust Fund beginning FY27; fiscal staff noted updated revenue projections but warned additional funding for scholarship awards may still be needed in FY28.
Committee members approved the expenditures (decision point A) and, for the funding (decision point B), ultimately voted to maintain the funding policy option recommended by the Chair (B1/B alternative actions were discussed) but left statutory changes to be considered via the governor's budget implementation bill and subsequent committee action. Senator Dondero Loop moved the motions; Assemblymember Bachus seconded. The measures passed by voice vote.
