Bill Text: MS SB2473 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi Senate Bill 2473 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Nonresident tuition; community and junior college may waive for students in career and technical education programs.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2016-02-23 - Died In Committee [SB2473 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2016-SB2473-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2016 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

By: Senator(s) Harkins

Senate Bill 2473

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ANY COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGE TO WAIVE OUT-OF-STATE TUITION FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS; TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS THAT STUDENTS MUST MEET TO QUALIFY FOR AN OUT-OF-STATE TUITION WAIVER; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-103-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF LATER AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. In addition to the authority provided in Section 37-103-25, the board of trustees of any community or junior college may develop and implement a policy for waiving out-of-state tuition for certain career and technical education programs if the policy is determined by the board to be in accordance with the educational mission of the college and if the policy promotes local job growth and economic development. The Mississippi Community College Board shall have the authority to count students enrolled in career and technical education programs who reside outside the State of Mississippi for pay purposes.

SECTION 2. (1) First priority of admission for all career and technical education programs shall be granted to in-state students. Second priority shall be given to out-of-state students who are already employed in the State of Mississippi. Startup projects for business and industry with a commitment from the company to hire the people trained will be given priority.

(2) Out-of-state students enrolled in career and technical education must maintain attendance requirements and a GPA of 2.0 or better to continue to receive the in-state tuition rate.

(3) Out-of-state career and technical education graduates who pay the in-state tuition rate shall be employed at a Mississippi company for a period of no less than three (3) years.

(4) The Mississippi Community College Board is authorized to enter into an agreement with the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC) to provide the necessary assistance to community and junior colleges in tracking the employment status of out-of-state career and technical students who pay in-state tuition rates.

SECTION 3. Section 37-103-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

37-103-25. (1) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the boards of trustees of the community colleges and junior colleges are authorized to prescribe the amount of tuition and fees to be paid by students attending the several state-supported institutions of higher learning and community colleges and junior colleges of the State of Mississippi.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsections (3) and (4) of this section, the total tuition to be paid by residents of other states shall not be less than the average cost per student from appropriated funds. However, the tuition to be paid by a resident of another state shall be equal to the tuition amount established under subsection (1) of this section if:

(a) The nonresident student is either a veteran, as defined by Title 38 of the United States Code, or a person entitled to education benefits under Title 38 of the United States Code. This paragraph (a) shall be administered and interpreted in the manner necessary to obtain or retain approval of courses of education by the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;

(b) The nonresident student is an evacuee of an area affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita. This waiver shall be applicable to the 2005-2006 school year only; or

(3) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may, in its discretion, consider and grant requests to approve institution specific policies permitting the waiver of out-of-state tuition when such an official request is made by the president or chancellor of the institution and when such request is determined by the board to be fiscally responsible and in accordance with the educational mission of the requesting institution.

(4) The board of trustees of any community college or junior college may develop and implement a policy for waiving out-of-state tuition for the college if the policy is determined by the board to be in accordance with the educational mission of the college and if a local industry or business or a state agency agrees to reimburse the college for the entire amount of the out-of-state tuition that will be waived under the policy. State funds shall be allocated and spent only on students who reside within the State of Mississippi. However, associate degree nursing students who reside outside the State of Mississippi may be counted for pay purposes.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.