TIMELINE
January 1991 – Newly elected Gov. Zell Miller filed legislation proposing a state lottery, which must be approved by Georgia voters. The House and Senate agree, setting the stage for a public vote.
November 3, 1992 – Nearly 2.2 million Georgians vote on the lottery amendment. It passed by less than 100,000 votes.
June 29, 1993 - The first Georgia Lottery ticket is sold.
September 1, 1993 – First HOPE Scholarship awarded. It will cover up to two years of college tuition.
July 1, 1994 -- HOPE expands to cover four year of tuition, as well as mandatory fees and a small book allowance.
July 1, 1995 – Family income cap for eligibility removed. Cap started at $66,000 and increased to $100,000 before eliminated.
July 1, 2000 -- Pell Grant offset is removed. Previously the HOPE scholarship payments began where the federal aid ended.
May 2004 -- Lawmakers approve significant changes to HOPE. It includes new rules on how GPA eligibility is calculated, freezes how much students will get for mandatory fees and establishes "triggers" that would reduce benefits if reserves get too low.
March 15, 2011 – Gov. Nathan Deal signs House Bill 326, a drastic overhaul of HOPE to prevent it from going broke. Among the changes: the HOPE scholarship is tied to Georgia Lottery revenue, not tuition rates, so they payouts could fluctuate annually. Students will no longer get money for books and fees. Technical college students must have a 3.0 grade-point average. The state also creates a new full-tuition scholarship, the Zell Miller award, for the highest-achieving students.
April 24, 2013 – Gov. Nathan Deal sings House Bill 372 which reinstates the 2.0 grade-point average for technical college students to be eligible for the HOPE Grant. Thousands of students lost the award because they were unable to meet the higher 3.0 GPA rule. Students on the HOPE Scholarship must still keep a 3.0 GPA.
May 2015 – High school students who graduate in 2015 and later must take more rigorous classes to be eligible for HOPE. Requirements will increase and ultimately students in the class of 2017 will need to take at least four classes in: advanced math, advanced science, advanced foreign language, or Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate.
