HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3385        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1078

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Denise Provost and Linda Dorcena Forry

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act regarding tuition equity for high school graduates in the Commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/18/2013

Linda Dorcena Forry

12th Suffolk

1/30/2013

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

 

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

 

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

 

Jay R. Kaufman

15th Middlesex

1/29/2013

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

1/30/2013

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/29/2013

Thomas P. Conroy

13th Middlesex

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

 

Jeffrey Sánchez

15th Suffolk

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

 

William Smitty Pignatelli

4th Berkshire

 

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

 

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

 

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

 

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

 

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3385        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1078

By Representatives Provost of Somerville and Forry of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1078) of Denise Provost and others relative to the eligibility of students for in-state tuition rates and fees at public higher educational institutions.  Higher Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2109 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act regarding tuition equity for high school graduates in the Commonwealth.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 15A of the General Laws, as most recently amended by section 20 of chapter 189 of the acts of 2010, is hereby amended by adding the following section:—

Section 9C(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of determining eligibility for in-state tuition rates and fees at state institutions of higher education in Massachusetts,  any person admitted to such state institutions of higher education, other than a nonimmigrant alien within the meaning of paragraph 15 of subsection (a)(A) through (S) of 8 U.S.C., section 1101 of the federal act, who has attended a high school in the commonwealth for 3 or more years and has graduated  from a high school in the commonwealth or attained the equivalent thereof  from an adult basic education program in the commonwealth, shall be eligible to pay in-state tuition rates and fees at any state institution of higher education in the commonwealth.

(b) Any such person shall: (A)  if eligible for the military selective service under the federal Military Selective Service Act, as amended by 50 U.S.C., App. 453, section 3, register for such; (B) provide the state institution of higher education in the commonwealth in which enrollment is sought with documentation of registration with the selective service, if applicable; (C) supply the state institution of higher education in which enrollment is sought with a valid social security number or a document reflecting issuance of an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in lieu of a social security number; (D) file, in every year of enrollment, a Massachusetts income tax return pursuant to chapter 62 of the general laws; and (E) file at the time of enrollment, if that person is not a citizen of the United States or a legal permanent resident of the United States,  an affidavit signed under the pains and penalties of perjury stating that the person has applied for citizenship or legal permanent residence or will apply for citizenship or legal permanent residence in accordance with federal statute and federal regulations within 120 days of eligibility for such status.

(c) No person qualified for in-state tuition rates and fees under this chapter shall be denied in-state tuition and fees as a result of the granting of eligibility under this paragraph.