HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2458        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1274

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

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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 higher education tuition and fee waivers for seniors.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2458        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1274

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to higher education tuition and fee waivers for seniors.

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. There is hereby established a pilot reimbursement program for all public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth, including all state universities, community colleges and University of Massachusetts campuses, providing tuition and fee waivers for senior citizens age 60 and older pursuant to the provisions of section 19 of chapter 15A of the General Laws. Said tuition and fee waivers shall apply to qualifying seniors who are enrolled in undergraduate programs, summer sessions, evening classes, or any specific higher education courses or set of courses between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, but said enrollment shall be subject to space availability and shall not exceed four courses per academic year. On or before August 1, 2024, all state universities, community colleges and University of Massachusetts campuses shall provide the state Comptroller, the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees, and the Joint Committee on Higher Education with a detailed breakdown of the tuition and fee revenues foregone as a result of said waivers. Upon receipt and certification of said figures, the Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to transfer money from the General Fund to each state university, community college and University of Massachusetts campus in an amount equal to its foregone tuition and fee revenues. The total revenues reimbursed as part of the pilot program shall serve as the base funding level to cover the annual cost of senior citizen tuition and fee waivers in the General Appropriations Act beginning in Fiscal Year 2025.