A top legislative priority for Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law thanks to the work of a Democratic state representative from Northwest Indiana.
On Wednesday, the Indiana House voted 89-1 to give final approval to House Enrolled Act 1449. It last week passed the Senate, 48-0.
The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, automatically enrolls eligible students in the state's 21st Century Scholars program that guarantees a low- or no-cost college education to individuals who comply with program guidelines.
Students and their parents previously had to sign-up for 21st Century Scholars in middle school, a requirement that often kept otherwise eligible students out of the program in many cases simply because they were unaware of it.
Going forward, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education will inform eligible students and their families of their enrollment in the program, along with the academic requirements the student will need to meet to obtain and maintain a college tuition scholarship.
Harris said automatically enrolling students in 21st Century Scholars will put a two- or four-year college degree, or another postsecondary credential, within reach of thousands more Hoosier students and improve Indiana's workforce.
"The bipartisan support of this legislation is proof of the great things that can happen for Hoosiers when Democrats and Republicans work together. This bill will help so many Indiana students achieve a higher education, and in turn, will boost our state economy and enhance the quality of life for Hoosiers by helping individuals break the chains of cyclical poverty," Harris said.
The four-term lawmaker and chairman of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus expects autoenrollment in 21st Century Scholars particularly will boost the academic achievement and job prospects of minority students, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that he said exacerbated existing racial disparities in Indiana education.
"Everyone benefits from everyone having a shot at achieving their goals, and this legislation is just one way we can help Hoosiers create a better future for themselves and the state," Harris said.
The legislation, touted by Holcomb during his annual "State of the State" address, also was sponsored by, among others, state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary; and state Sens. Eddie Melton, D-Gary; and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago.
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