Bill Text: OR HB2302 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to tuition waivers; declaring an emergency.

Sponsorship: Unknown

Status: (Failed) 2011-06-30 - In committee upon adjournment. [HB2302 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2011-HB2302-Introduced.html

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     76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .

LC 2520

                         House Bill 2302

Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of House Interim Committee on
  Education)

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Expands post-secondary institution tuition waiver for children,
spouses and unremarried surviving spouses of deceased or disabled
veterans to include community college students.
  Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2011.

                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to tuition waivers; creating new provisions; amending
  ORS 351.656; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 351.656 is amended to read:
  351.656. (1) As used in this section:
  (a) 'Child' means a child, adopted child or stepchild of a
service member.
  (b) 'Eligible post-secondary institution' means:
  (A) A state institution of higher education listed in ORS
352.002;   { - and - }
  (B) The Oregon Health and Science University  { - . - }  { + ;
and
  (C) A community college, as defined in ORS 341.005. + }
  (c) 'Qualified student' means a child, a spouse or an
unremarried surviving spouse of a service member.
  (d) 'Service member' means a person who:
  (A) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died
on active duty;
  (B) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died
as a result of a military service connected disability; or
  (C) Is 100 percent disabled as the result of a military service
connected disability, as certified by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs or any branch of the Armed Forces
of the United States.
  (2) Subject to subsections (3) to (6) of this section, an
eligible post-secondary institution shall waive tuition for a
qualified student for courses that may lead to a  { + certificate
from a community college or to an associate degree, a + }
baccalaureate degree or a master's degree.  { + A qualified
student who received a tuition waiver for a certificate from a
community college or an associate degree may also qualify for a
tuition waiver for a baccalaureate degree. + } A qualified

student who received a tuition waiver for a baccalaureate degree
may also qualify for a tuition waiver for a master's degree.
  (3)(a) The maximum waiver granted under this section shall be
as follows:
   { +  (A) For a certificate from a community college or an
associate degree, the total number of credit hours that equals
two years of full-time attendance at an eligible post-secondary
institution. + }
    { - (A) - }  { +  (B) + } For a baccalaureate degree, the
total number of credit hours that equals four years of full-time
attendance at an eligible post-secondary institution.
    { - (B) - }  { +  (C) + } For a master's degree, the total
number of credit hours that equals two years of full-time
attendance at an eligible post-secondary institution.
  (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a waiver
may not exceed the total number of credit hours the qualified
student needs to graduate with a  { + certificate from a
community college or an associate degree, a + } baccalaureate
degree or a master's degree.
  (4) A waiver may be granted under this section only for credit
hours for courses that are offered by an eligible post-secondary
institution and are available for enrollment regardless of
whether the qualified student attends the course and pays
tuition.
  (5) A qualified student may receive a waiver under this section
if the student:
  (a) At the time of application for a waiver, is considered a
resident of this state for the purpose of determining tuition to
be paid at an eligible post-secondary institution; and
  (b) Has been admitted to an eligible post-secondary institution
for a  { + program leading to a certificate from a community
college, an associate degree, a + } baccalaureate degree
  { - program - }  or   { - has been admitted to - }  a master's
degree   { - program at an eligible post-secondary
institution - } .
  (6)(a) A child who applies for a waiver under this section must
be 23 years of age or younger at the time the child applies for a
waiver.
  (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a child
who is older than 23 years of age is eligible for a waiver for a
master's degree if the child:
  (A) Applied for and received a waiver for a baccalaureate
degree when the child was 23 years of age or younger; and
  (B) Applied for a waiver for a master's degree within 12 months
of receiving a baccalaureate degree.
  SECTION 2.  { + The amendments to ORS 351.656 by section 1 of
this 2011 Act first apply to the 2011-2012 school year. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + This 2011 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2011 Act takes effect July 1,
2011. + }
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