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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A proposal to cut lottery-funded scholarships in half for incoming college freshman and change the program's eligibility requirements narrowly failed before the Arkansas Senate Thursday after opponents said the move would hurt minority and low-income students.
The Senate voted 17-9 in favor Thursday, but the bill needed 18 votes. The sponsor of the proposal said he'd bring the measure back before the Senate next week since several lawmakers were absent because of a winter storm that hit the state.
Republican Sen. Jimmy Hickey of Texarkana said the changes are needed because of the lottery's dwindling revenue. Voters approved the lottery in 2008 to raise money for college scholarships, and the state began selling tickets in 2009.
"It only gets worse, so we have to do something," Hickey said after the vote.
Hickey's bill would lower the scholarship amount incoming freshmen receive from $2,000 to $1,000 and increase the amount students receive in the second year from $3,000 to $4,000. The amounts received in the following years — $4,000 for juniors and $5,000 for seniors — would remain the same.
The proposal also eliminates the minimum 2.5 grade point average students could use to qualify for the scholarship, instead requiring them to score at least 19 on the ACT. Students can currently qualify using the GPA or ACT requirement.
Nine of the Republican-controlled chamber's 11 Democrats voted against the measure. Opponents objected to eliminating the GPA requirement, arguing that fewer minority and low-income students would qualify if the state only relies on the ACT.
"With this bill, you're taking away that opportunity, and I would urge a 'no' vote," Democratic Sen. Linda Chesterfield of Little Rock said.
Hickey has said the legislation would save the state $10.5 million a year and address the number of students who aren't retaining the scholarship after their freshman year. About 40 percent of freshmen who receive the scholarship don't retain it for their sophomore year, according to the Department of Higher Education.
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