HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1349        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1239

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Denise Provost

_________________

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 relative to equal opportunity for high school graduates in the commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/16/2019

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

2/1/2019

Joseph A. Boncore

First Suffolk and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

1/24/2019

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Daniel R. Cullinane

12th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

2/1/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/30/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

2/1/2019

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

1/31/2019

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

2/1/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/1/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

2/1/2019

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

1/30/2019

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/1/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/28/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Frank A. Moran

17th Essex

1/30/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

2/1/2019

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

12th Worcester

2/1/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

1/25/2019

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/31/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/25/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

2/1/2019

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

1/30/2019

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/1/2019

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

2nd Worcester

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1349        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1239

By Ms. Provost of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1239) of Denise Provost and others for legislation to provide high school graduates equal access to in-state tuition rates and financial aid in the higher education system.  Higher Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 644 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to equal opportunity 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 2016, 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 and for state-funded financial assistance 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, and shall be eligible on the same terms as other persons for state-funded financial assistance, 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.

(d) The Legislature finds that this is a state law within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1621(d).