Senate expands Regents scholarship eligibility to some in‑state private nonprofits; adds $5 million appropriation in bill text

Senator Hemmert introduced Senate Bill 117, saying the measure would modify Regents scholarship rules so qualifying Utah resident students could use the merit-based award at certain in‑state nonprofit private colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The sponsor told the Senate the change is limited to private nonprofit institutions located in Utah and named a short list of examples during floor discussion.

To limit fiscal risk and protect the scholarship’s merit focus, Hemmert said the bill caps any individual Regents award at the average award amount received by a student attending a public institution and places an aggregate cap so no single private institution could receive more total Regents scholarship awards than the highest public institution. The bill also includes a line-item appropriation of $5 million to the state financial-aid account; the sponsor clarified that the $5 million is for the account broadly, not an automatic $5 million for Regents specifically.

Debate included questions about accreditation and whether satellite campuses or out-of-state institutions with minimal in-state presence would qualify. Hemmert read the bill language to confirm eligibility is limited to private nonprofit colleges in the state accredited by the Northwest Commission. Senators raised concerns about historical funding shortfalls for the Regents scholarship and how expanding eligibility might affect award amounts; supporters said the added appropriation and caps were part of a compromise to protect need-based and merit-based funding.

After discussion, the Senate called the question and first substitute SB 117 was advanced to third reading with a roll-call tally of 25 yay, 0 nay, 4 absent.