5. a. In the case of a student who is receiving a scholarship under the NJ STARS Program on the effective date of P.L.2008, c.124 (C. 18A:71B-85.1 et al.), the scholarship shall be administered and the student shall remain eligible for the program in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2004, c.59 (C. 18A:71B-81 et seq.) as the same read before the effective date of P.L.2008, c.124 (C. 18A:71B-85.1 et al.); except that a student who is in the first year of county college enrollment shall be required to attain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average upon graduation from a county college in order to qualify for the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship II (NJ STARS II) Program and a student who is in the second year of county college enrollment shall be required to attain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average upon graduation from a county college to qualify for NJ STARS II.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.2005, c.359 (C. 18A:71B-86.4) to the contrary, in the case of a student who is in the second year of county college enrollment on the effective date of P.L.2008, c.124 (C. 18A:71B-85.1 et al.) who attains a cumulative grade point average equal to or greater than 3.0 and less than 3.25 upon graduation from a county college and who meets all other requirements for receipt of an NJ STARS II scholarship, the amount of the scholarship for the student’s third academic year of study shall equal up to $3,000 per semester.

L.2008, c.124, s.5.