Existing law prohibits the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada from assessing, with certain exceptions, tuition charges against certain students, including those who are bona fide residents of this State. (NRS 396.540) Existing law authorizes the Board of Regents to grant a waiver of registration, laboratory and other mandatory fees assessed against certain students, including a student who is: (1) an active member of the Nevada National Guard; (2) the child, widow or widower of a person killed while performing duties as a member of the Nevada National Guard; (3) a veteran who has been awarded the Purple Heart or the child of such a veteran; (4) the child or spouse of a person identified as a prisoner of war or missing in action while performing duties as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; (5) identified as a homeless or unaccompanied pupil; and (6) a member or a descendent of a member of certain Indian tribes. Existing law provides that in most cases, a student to whom a waiver is granted: (1) is deemed to be a bona fide resident of this State for the purpose of assessing tuition and fees; (2) must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 to be eligible for the waiver; and (3) is limited to using the waiver for certain courses and programs. (NRS 396.544, 396.5442, 396.5443, 396.5445, 396.5448, 396.5449) Sections 2-8 of this bill eliminate these and other similar provisions prescribing the terms and limitations of certain fee waivers granted to students who meet certain eligibility criteria. Instead, section 1 of this bill establishes a consolidated waiver which requires the Board of Regents to waive all registration, laboratory and other mandatory fees assessed against a student enrolled full-time or part-time in certain undergraduate or graduate degree programs and who meets certain eligibility criteria. Section 1 limits the applicability of the consolidated waiver to certain undergraduate and graduate courses and programs of study. In order to receive a waiver under section 1, an eligible student must: (1) complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, if the student is eligible under federal law to complete the application; and (2) maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 grading scale, each semester, or its equivalent if a different scale is used. Section 1 requires the Board of Regents to apply all scholarships, grants and other financial assistance, not including loans, to which a student is entitled for a semester towards the fees assessed against the student for that semester before granting a waiver to cover the remaining balance of those fees. Section 1 authorizes the Board of Regents to seek certain assistance to verify the eligibility of a student to receive a waiver. Section 1 also requires the Board of Regents to treat a student who is granted a fee waiver as a bona fide resident of this State for the purpose of assessing fees and tuition charges. Section 1 requires the Board of Regents to publish the programs and courses for which the waiver may be used before the start of each semester. Sections 2-8 make conforming changes to apply the terms of the waiver established by section 1 to all existing waivers and revise internal references. Section 9 of this bill provides that a student who is currently enrolled in the System as of July 1, 2025, and who has been granted a waiver under existing law for a program which is not covered by section 1 is entitled to continue to use that waiver for that program until July 1, 2029, if the waiver granted under section 1 would not cover such program.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 396.544, 396.5442, 396.5443, 396.5445, 396.5448, 396.5449, 396.54495
BDR: 396.544, 396.5442, 396.5443, 396.5445, 396.5448, 396.5449, 396.54495