Emily Chappell was one of those "go-getters" in high school.
An honor student at Wayne High with a 3.7 GPA, she took courses in the summer at Snow College.
"And I had taken all the Ed-Net courses from Utah State that they offered at my high school. I decided to go to Snow full-time my senior year," she said. "I thought, I can sit here in Wayne County and waste time or go to college and get on with my life."
So at age 18, Chappell had earned both a high school diploma and an associate's degree and thus qualified for the state's New Century Scholarship: a full-tuition waiver for the last two years of undergraduate work at any Utah college or university.
Only 14 other students have earned the scholarship.
But HB23 would make the requirements to get it even tougher.
"I just didn't want to see this become an entitlement program," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brad King, D-Price.
His legislation would require students to maintain a "B" average throughout college course work.
Although it's unlikely that large numbers of students would ever qualify for the scholarship, regardless of a GPA requirement, King said he wants to improve the students' chances of being successful when they start college full-time.
Chappell has attended one semester at Southern Utah University, and, already, her grades have slipped.
"I had a 2.6 last semester. I just took too many classes and didn't get outstanding grades in every one," she said.
Chappell, still the "go-getter," enrolled in calculus, chemistry and physics all at once.
Although not every New Century Scholar has had the same experience, the shock of university life has taken its toll on Chappell.
"I've switched my major from pre-med to elementary education," she said.
Most of the members of the Senate Education Standing Committee who heard the bill agreed with the tougher restrictions. Although Sen. Howard C. Nielson, R-Provo, said he would amend the bill on the Senate floor to exempt students like Chappell, who have already qualified for the scholarship.
"But I really don't think a 3.0 is an unreasonable requirement," he said.
Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, the only member of the committee to cast a dissenting vote, said the amendments to the scholarship could have unintended effects.
"Why penalize students for taking challenging courses and running the risk of a lower grade?" he said.
Race Davies of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget reminded lawmakers the program was never intended to be an academic scholarship.
"It provides for students who have finished two years of college by the time they finish high school. That was the only qualification," he said.
The bill will now go to the Senate for final debate.