SENATE DOCKET, NO. 690        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 666

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

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:

Linda Dorcena Forry

First Suffolk

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

Daniel Cullinane

12th Suffolk

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 690        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 666

By Ms. Forry, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 666) of Linda Dorcena Forry, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Denise Provost, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation 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. 1078 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

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.