Under existing law, the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada may not fix tuition charges against certain students, including, without limitation, students whose families have been bona fide residents of this State for at least 12 months before the student matriculates at a university, state college or community college and students whose parent, legal guardian or spouse was stationed at a military installation associated with Nevada on the date the student enrolled at a university, state college or community college. (NRS 396.540) Section 1 of this bill also prohibits the Board of Regents from fixing tuition charges against: (1) students whose parent, legal guardian or spouse was stationed at a military installation associated with Nevada on the date the student is admitted to a university, state college or community college; (2) students who are members of any federally recognized Indian tribe or nation in this State; and (3) students who graduated from a high school in this State, regardless of whether the student or the student's family is a bona fide resident. Existing law sets forth various requirements to obtain a scholarship or grant under the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Program and the Silver State Opportunity Grant Program. These requirements include, without limitation, certifying that the applicant is a citizen of or legal immigrant to the United States to receive a Millennium Scholarship and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to receive a Silver State Opportunity Grant. (NRS 396.930, 396.952, 396.956) Section 2 of this bill removes the requirement to certify that the applicant is a citizen of or legal immigrant to the United States to receive a Millennium Scholarship. Sections 3 and 4 of this bill remove the requirement to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to receive a Silver State Opportunity Grant. Section 4.5 of this bill authorizes the Board of Regents to use not more than 5 percent of money received from a direct legislative appropriation to administer the Silver State Opportunity Grant Program. Existing law requires that to be a recipient of a Silver State Opportunity Grant or a Nevada Promise Scholarship, a student must be a bona fide resident of this State for at least 12 months before matriculation of the student at a university, state college or community college. (NRS 396.952, 396.9665) Sections 3 and 5 of this bill provide that a student may also be a recipient of a Silver State Opportunity Grant or a Nevada Promise Scholarship if the student graduated from a high school located in this State. Existing law requires the Board of Regents to distribute scholarships under the Nevada Promise Scholarship Program first to students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and then, if there is money remaining for additional distributions, to students who are prohibited by federal law from completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (NRS 396.968) Section 6 of this bill removes this requirement. Under existing federal law, a state may provide a qualified tuition program to help families pay for college education. (26 U.S.C. § 529) Existing state law establishes the Nevada Higher Education Prepaid Tuition Program and the Nevada College Savings Program. (NRS 353B.010-353B.190, 353B.300-353B.370) Section 7 of this bill prohibits a prepaid tuition program or college savings program from excluding a person or his or her family from participating in such a program based solely on the citizenship or immigration status of the person or his or her family.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 396.540, 396.930, 396.952, 396.956, 396.9665, 396.968
Reprint 1: 396.540, 396.930, 396.952, 396.956, 396.958, 396.9665, 396.968