46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE; EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE LOTTERY TUITION FUND TO DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DOMICILED IN NEW MEXICO; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

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

Section 1. Section 21-1-4.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1996, Chapter 71, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"21-1-4.3. TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AUTHORIZED--CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.--

A. To the extent that funds are made available by the legislature from the lottery tuition fund, the boards of regents of New Mexico state university, New Mexico institute of mining and technology, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university, the university of New Mexico, New Mexico highlands university and northern New Mexico state school shall award tuition scholarships for qualified resident students attending their respective institutions and branches of those institutions.

B. Except as authorized in [Subsection C] Subsections C and D of this section, the tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall:

(1) apply only to full-time resident students who, immediately upon completion of [a] high school [curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma] requirements, are accepted for entrance to and attend one of the state educational institutions set forth in this section or one of the branches of those institutions and have:

(a) completed a high school curriculum at a public New Mexico high school;

(b) completed a high school curriculum at an accredited private New Mexico high school;

(c) completed an equivalent high school curriculum at a high school and are the dependents of a person on active duty in the United States armed forces who has claimed New Mexico as his domicile for income tax purposes for the entire period that the person has been on active duty in the United States armed forces; or

(d) received a graduate equivalent diploma; and

(2) [Each tuition scholarship shall] be awarded for up to four consecutive years beginning the second semester of the recipient's first year of enrollment, provided that the recipient has maintained residency in New Mexico and maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale during his first semester of full-time enrollment.

C. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall also apply to full-time resident students who [immediately upon completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma] meet any of the requirements of Subparagraphs (a) through (d) of Paragraph (1) of Subsection B of this section and attend a two-year public post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico and who, upon the completion of that curriculum or at the end of two years, whichever is sooner, transfer to one of the post-secondary state educational institutions set forth in this section. Those students shall be eligible for a tuition scholarship for two consecutive years, provided that those students maintain residency in New Mexico, maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale and attend the institution full time during the regular academic year.

D. The tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall also apply to full-time resident students who:

(1) meet any of the requirements of Subparagraphs (a) through (d) of Paragraphs (1) of Subsection B of this section and within one hundred twenty days of completion [of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school, or of receiving a graduate equivalent diploma] begin service in the United States armed forces; and

(2) within one hundred twenty days of completion of honorable service or medical discharge from [the] service in the United States armed forces are accepted for entrance to and attend one of the state educational institutions set forth in this section.

E. The commission on higher education shall prepare guidelines setting forth explicit student continuing eligibility criteria and guidelines for administration of the tuition scholarship program. Guidelines shall be distributed to the board of regents of each institution to enable a uniform availability of the resident student tuition scholarships."

Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2003.