The cost of community college might get a lot more affordable for students in South Charleston and other areas of West Virginia.
At the beginning of March, the state Senate voted 33 to 0 on the House of Delegates' amendments to Senate Bill 1, which will make community college free to certain residents.
Before moving to the state Senate, the bill was passed by the state House 85 to 13. The House added an amendment to the bill to include associate's degree programs offered by certain four-year public colleges, in addition to programs at community colleges.
States that pass bills that greatly change or improve the lives of their residents can use brochure printing to explain the changes to people.
Craig Blair, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that the bill was the "best" he had ever seen. He is convinced that the bill will greatly help the state of the next couple of years and that will attract new business to the area and help people get their lives on track.
Under the bill, programs eligible for free tuition would need to fulfill a workforce need, determined by the state's Department of Commerce.
Students eligible for the program need to have graduated from high school but cannot have already earned a college degree. They need to live in West Virginia for at least one year before applying for the program. After earning a degree or certificate, they must remain in the state for at least two years.