HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2740        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3003

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Juana B. Matias and Sonia Chang-Diaz

_________________

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 to provide access to higher education for high school graduates in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Juana B. Matias

16th Essex

1/20/2017

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

2/3/2017

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

10/19/2017

Gerard Cassidy

9th Plymouth

3/15/2017

Frank A. Moran

17th Essex

10/19/2017

Solomon Goldstein-Rose

3rd Hampshire

10/19/2017

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/3/2017

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

3/15/2017

Dylan Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

2/3/2017

Carlos González

10th Hampden

2/3/2017

Natalie Higgins

4th Worcester

2/3/2017

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Jay R. Kaufman

15th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Jack Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/3/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

2/3/2017

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Joan Meschino

3rd Plymouth

1/31/2017

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

2/3/2017

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

2/3/2017

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

3/15/2017

Paul Tucker

7th Essex

2/3/2017

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

2/2/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

3/16/2017

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

10/19/2017

Bud Williams

11th Hampden

10/19/2017

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

2/3/2017

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

10/19/2017

Carmine L. Gentile

13th Middlesex

10/19/2017

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

3/17/2017

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

3/16/2017

Claire D. Cronin

11th Plymouth

3/17/2017

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

3/17/2017

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

10/19/2017

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

10/19/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2740        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3003

By Representative Matias of Lawrence and Senator Chang-Diaz, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3003) of Juana Matias, Sonia Chang-Diaz and others relative to the eligibility for in-state tuition rates and fees and for state-funded financial assistance at certain public institutions of higher education.  Higher Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act to provide access to higher education for high school graduates in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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

Section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of determining eligibility for in-state tuition rates and fees and for state-funded financial assistance at public institutions of higher education, except the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Massachusetts School of Law, any person admitted to such public 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 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 in the commonwealth, shall be eligible to pay in-state tuition rates and fees, and shall be eligible on the same terms as other persons for state-funded financial assistance, at the University of Massachusetts, or any other state university or state college or community college in the commonwealth; provided, however, that any person who is eligible for the military selective service under the federal Military Selective Service Act, as amended by 50 U.S.C.,14 App. 453, section 3, shall register for such. 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. An eligible person shall provide the University of Massachusetts, or any other state university or state college or community college in the commonwealth with (i) a valid social security number or a document reflecting issuance of an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in lieu of a social security number; (ii) 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 and (iii) documentation of registration with the selective service, if applicable. The Legislature finds that this is a state law within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1621(d).