HOUSE BILL 128

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Linda M. Trujillo

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS REDUCED TUITION ACT TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER ACCESS TO REDUCED TUITION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 21-21D-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 96, Section 3) is amended to read:

     "21-21D-3. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Senior Citizens Reduced Tuition Act:

          A. ["board"] "department" means the [board of educational finance] higher education department;

          B. "eligible institution" means any New Mexico post-secondary degree-granting educational institution;

          C. "reduced tuition" means that tuition charged senior citizens at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) per credit hour, up to [six] ten hours per semester; and

          D. "senior citizen" means a person age sixty-five or older."

     SECTION 2. Section 21-21D-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 96, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "21-21D-4. CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY.--

          A. Reduced tuition [may] shall be allowed for [persons] any individual who [meet the following criteria for eligibility:

          A. They are residents]:

                (1) is a resident of New Mexico as determined by the definition of residency for tuition purposes as established by the [board] department;

                [B. They are] (2) is a senior [citizens] citizen;

                [C. They pay] (3) pays any course-specific fees charged for a course;

                [D. They enroll] (4) enrolls at an eligible institution for credit or noncredit courses; and

                [E. They have] (5) has completed all course prerequisites.

          B. The department shall not restrict, as a condition of eligibility for reduced tuition, the number of credit hours per semester for which an individual may enroll. Regardless of the amount of credits for which an individual enrolls during a semester, the department shall provide reduced tuition to any individual who meets the requirements of Subsection A of this section by allowing that individual to receive a maximum of ten credits at the reduced tuition rate of five dollars ($5.00) for each of those ten credits."

     SECTION 3. Section 21-21D-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 96, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

     "21-21D-5. RULES [AND REGULATIONS].--The [commission] department may adopt [such] rules [regulations] and procedures as necessary or appropriate to implement the provisions of the Senior Citizens Reduced Tuition Act; provided [however] that senior citizens enrolled at reduced tuition shall be allowed to enroll in classes only on a space-available basis and that no full-time equivalent credit shall be given to the eligible institutions for the attendance of senior citizens in classes under the provisions of the Senior Citizens Reduced Tuition Act. A financial aid officer may exercise professional judgment when special circumstances exist to adjust cost of attendance or expected family contribution or to modify other factors that make the program responsive to a student's special financial circumstances and for which documentation exists in the student's file within the parameters authorized for this program."

- 3 -