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Scholarship program wins House approval

By WALT WILLIAMS , Chronicle Staff Writer

HELENA -- A proposal by Gov. Brian Schweitzer giving college scholarships to high school graduates won the preliminary approval of lawmakers Monday, but not before Republicans changed the program's title to more accurately reflect what they think it does.


 House Bill 435 would award 970 high school graduates $1,000 and $2,000 scholarships every year based on their grades or their financial need, with the money largely targeted at colleges of technology.

Rep. Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, carried a successful amendment to strike the words "best and brightest" from the "Governor's Best and Brightest Post-secondary Scholarship Program."

He said there were two reasons for the motion. First, half the scholarships are awarded on financial need instead of simply grades. Second, the program requires students to have a 2.5 grade point average on a four-point scale, so average students are also eligible.

The amendment passed with 51 votes. The bill passed on a 78-22 vote.

The bill now allows for "at-large students" to be eligible, which includes home school students.

Walt Williams is at wwilliams@dailychronicle.com

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