The bill amends Section 20-25-421 of the Montana Code Annotated to revise the laws related to tuition waivers for American Indian students. Notably, it removes the requirement that eligible individuals must have "one-fourth Indian blood or more" and instead allows waivers for "enrolled members or descendants of a federally recognized Indian tribe." Additionally, it specifies that descendants must provide a certificate of descendancy formally adopted by their tribe to qualify for the waiver. The bill also clarifies that eligible individuals must have been bona fide residents of Montana for at least one year prior to enrollment in the Montana university system.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new section requiring the secretary of state to notify each federally recognized tribal government in Montana about the changes made by this act. The effective date for these amendments is set for July 1, 2023. This legislation aims to enhance access to higher education for American Indian students and their descendants by streamlining the eligibility criteria for tuition waivers.

Statutes affected:
HB0288_1.pdf: 20-25-421
HB0288_2.pdf: 20-25-421
HB0288_3.pdf: 20-25-421
Amended: 20-25-421
Introduced: 20-25-421