SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2675
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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SENATE, April 1, 2024.
The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 822) of Lydia Edwards, Sal N. DiDomenico and Russell E. Holmes for legislation to instruct the board of higher education to engage house of corrections and state prisons, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2675).
For the committee,
Joanne M. Comerford
FILED ON: 2/7/2024
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2675
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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 instructing the Department of Higher Education to engage houses of correction & state prisons.
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. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 15G the following subsection:-
Section 15H. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:
“Credit status”, currently incarcerated persons as well as most recently released persons who, during the term of incarceration, completed and received certification of requirements for an award of a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) with Credit and have been determined to be eligible for acceptance into freshman level, for-credit study at a public institution of higher education in Massachusetts.
“Incarcerated person”, a committed offender or such other person as is placed in custody in a correctional facility in accordance with law.
“Recently released”, release of a previously incarcerated person from a county jail, house of correction, or state prison to a non-custodial status that has occurred before the most recent specific outreach of admissions or financial aid staff under subsection (b).
(b) The department of higher education shall oversee and supervise regular outreach to each county Jail, House of Correction, and State Prison by admissions or financial aid staff of public institutions of higher education.
The outreach shall ensure timely identification, at least twice per calendar year, by region, of individuals who have obtained Credit Status. County Sheriffs and the Commissioner of Correction shall ensure reciprocal cooperation in this outreach by compiling twice a year a record of current incarcerated persons and most recently released persons who meet the requirements for acceptance into a public institution of higher education in Massachusetts.
(c) If a recently released person has met the requirements for credit status but has been released, the Sheriff and the Commissioner of Correction shall provide to the admissions or financial aid staff representative of a public institution of higher education the last known information concerning the anticipated place of residence and, if available, contact information for the most recently released person.
The admissions or financial aid staff representative of the public institution of higher education shall, upon engagement of the qualified incarcerated person or recently released person, provide specific counsel and offer expedient assistance to facilitate the current incarcerated person’s or recently released person’s enrollment into freshman level for credit study in the next available semester, at the public institution of higher education. In the case of current qualified incarcerated person, this offer of assistance and expedited enrollment shall occur within 30 days of the incarcerated person’s scheduled release from the House of Correction or the State Prison. This facilitated and expedited assistance shall include the provision of financial aid, including need-based scholarships, to cover all costs not covered by other financial aid programs of tuition, fees, and necessary supplies during the initial semester following release and shall be available to the student for each subsequent semester of study through completion of requirements for the award of a Certificate or Diploma.
(d) The department of higher education, in consultation with the department of correction, county sheriffs, and organizations concerned about the education of incarcerated persons, shall promulgate regulations and guidelines for the implementation of this section.
(e) The department of higher education shall file an annual report to the house and senate ways and means committees, the joint committee on the judiciary, the joint committee on public safety and Security, and the joint committee on higher education concerning the annual results of this outreach and engagement initiative.