SENATE DOCKET, NO. 120        FILED ON: 1/13/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 823

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

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 providing access to higher education for high school graduates in the Commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 120        FILED ON: 1/13/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 823

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 740 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act providing access to higher education 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:
 

SECTION 1. Section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 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). "