The bill amends Section 20-25-421 of the Montana Code Annotated to revise the laws regarding 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 federally recognized tribes in Montana. Additionally, the bill introduces a new requirement that for descendants to qualify for the waiver, a formal certification process must be adopted by the tribe, and a copy of the certificate of descendancy must be provided to the Montana university system by the waiver applicant.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for notifying tribal governments about the changes and establishes an effective date of July 1, 2025, for the new regulations. 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:
LC Text: 20-25-421
HB0282_1(1): 20-25-421
HB0282_1(2): 20-25-421
HB0282_1(3): 20-25-421
HB0282_1: 20-25-421