HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3624        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1281

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Moran and Adrian C. Madaro

_________________

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 ensure tuition equity for Massachusetts residents.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Michael J. Moran

18th Suffolk

1/17/2023

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/20/2023

Rita A. Mendes

11th Plymouth

1/20/2023

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/22/2023

Frank A. Moran

17th Essex

1/27/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

1/27/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/27/2023

Lydia Edwards

Third Suffolk

1/28/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/2/2023

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

2/2/2023

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

2/2/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/2/2023

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

2/2/2023

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

2/3/2023

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

2/6/2023

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

2/13/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

2/13/2023

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/13/2023

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/13/2023

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

2nd Berkshire

2/13/2023

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

2/13/2023

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

2/14/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

2/16/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/24/2023

Kate Lipper-Garabedian

32nd Middlesex

2/24/2023

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

3/9/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

3/15/2023

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

3/15/2023

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

3/15/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

3/30/2023

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

3/30/2023

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

5/19/2023

Jennifer Balinsky Armini

8th Essex

5/19/2023

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

6/21/2023

Judith A. Garcia

11th Suffolk

11/8/2023

Manny Cruz

7th Essex

12/26/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3624        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1281

By Representatives Moran of Boston and Madaro of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1281) of Michael J. Moran, Adrian C. Madaro and others relative to in-state tuition rates and fees at public institutions of higher education.  Higher Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1352 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to ensure tuition equity for Massachusetts residents.

 

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 2012, 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, or is currently a student in a Massachusetts public higher education institution qualifying for in-state tuition under federal regulations, shall be eligible to pay in-state tuition rates and fees, at any state institution of higher education in the commonwealth. (b) Proof required of any such person demonstrating in-state tuition eligibility as determined by the Department of Higher Education may include, but not limited to,: (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). Provided further that the Department of Higher Education in collaboration with the public institutions of higher education shall promulgate regulations to facilitate the in-state tuition eligibility process. 

This act shall take effect upon passage.