ATLANTA — The state’s lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program has been highly successful, covering most or all of college tuition for more than 2.2 million Georgians since its inception in 1993.

But Georgia lawmakers are considering expanding state aid to public college and university students beyond the merit-based HOPE program to a need-based scholarship initiative. The newly formed state Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability will hold its first meeting on Monday at the state Capitol.

“In my conversations on both sides of the aisle, there’s been a recognition that getting more students into college is a must,” said Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, who will chair the committee. “[But] we have not turned our attention to need-based support.”

“I’m very concerned about the

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