HB2409: Virginia College Savings Plan; renamed Commonwealth Savers Plan, duties of governing board.

Legislative Summary

Public institutions of higher education; Virginia College Savings Plan; renamed Commonwealth Savers Plan; duties of governing board. Renames the Virginia College Savings Plan as the Commonwealth Savers Plan (the Plan) and amends all relevant references to "college savings trust account" to "education savings trust account." The bill provides that the purpose of the Plan is to enhance the accessibility, affordability, and attainability of higher education in the Commonwealth. The bill expands the duties of the governing board (the board) of the Plan to include developing, implementing, and funding programs or partnerships to enhance the accessibility, affordability, and attainability of higher education for underserved and underrepresented communities and students and authorizes the board to develop policies for the funding and review of such programs or partnerships. The bill expands the definition of "current obligations of the Plan" to include any additional benefit or educational access, affordability, and attainability program or partnership developed pursuant to the Plan. The bill further prohibits any officer, director, or member of the board or of any advisory committee to the board from being held personally liable for any loss suffered by the Plan. Finally, the bill provides that any benefit paid on any prepaid tuition contract entered into prior to July 1, 2019, may be supplemented by an additional benefit, subject to the determination and discretion of the board. The bill contains technical amendments. Public institutions of higher education; Virginia College Savings Plan; renamed Commonwealth Savers Plan; duties of governing board. Renames the Virginia College Savings Plan as the Commonwealth Savers Plan (the Plan) and amends all relevant references to "college savings trust account" to "education savings trust account." The bill provides that the purpose of the Plan is to enhance the accessibility, affordability, and attainability of higher education in the Commonwealth. The bill expands the duties of the governing board (the board) of the Plan to include developing, implementing, and funding programs or partnerships to enhance the accessibility, affordability, and attainability of higher education for underserved and underrepresented communities and students and authorizes the board to develop policies for the funding and review of such programs or partnerships. The bill expands the definition of "current obligations of the Plan" to include any additional benefit or educational access, affordability, and attainability program or partnership developed pursuant to the Plan. The bill further prohibits any officer, director, or member of the board or of any advisory committee to the board from being held personally liable for any loss suffered by the Plan. Finally, the bill provides that any benefit paid on any prepaid tuition contract entered into prior to July 1, 2019, may be supplemented by an additional benefit, subject to the determination and discretion of the board. The bill contains technical amendments.