A bill that would scale back state-funded scholarships for math and engineering — as well as a popular merit-based award — and redistribute the money to support a new one calculated on financial need passed unanimously in committee Tuesday.
“We need to do better here,” said Rep. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, the sponsor of HB260. “Utah ranks near the bottom in needs-based access and financial assistance.”
His proposal would create the Access Utah Promise Scholarship, which would provide students from low-income families — those who make less than $50,000 annually — two years of free tuition at a public Utah college, university or technical school.