Existing law authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to grant a waiver of registration fees and laboratory fees for a person who is identified as a homeless or unaccompanied pupil. (NRS 396.5448). Section 1 of this bill requires, rather than authorizes, the Board of Regents to grant the waiver and revises the criteria that a person is required to meet to qualify for the waiver. Specifically, section 1 requires that a person: (1) be 25 years of age or less when the person enrolls in the Nevada System of Higher Education; (2) have experienced homelessness for a period of not less than 6 months at any time after the person attained the age of 12 years, but before attaining the age of 25 years; and (3) during that period, have received services from certain agencies or organizations in this State whose purpose is to provide services to young persons experiencing homelessness. Section 1 requires a person who is seeking the waiver to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and provides for the adjustment of the amount of the waiver based on the amount of federal educational benefits the person receives. Section 1 also limits the waiver to persons who are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a school within the System. Existing law authorizes the Board of Regents to request documentation from a person requesting the waiver to verify that the person meets the criteria required to qualify for the waiver. (NRS 396.5448) Section 1 requires, rather than authorizes, the Board of Regents to request documentation to verify that the person has experienced homelessness for a period of not less than 6 months after attaining 12 years of age, but before attaining 25 years of age. Section 1 also requires the Board of Regents to request certain documentation to verify that the person received services from certain agencies or organizations based in this State while the person was experiencing homelessness. Existing law requires the Chancellor of the System to direct an appropriate person employed by the System to analyze any ores, minerals, soil or water taken from within the boundaries of this State which are sent to the Chancellor by any resident of this State for the purpose of performing such an analysis. (NRS 396.620-396.660) Section 2 of this bill repeals this requirement.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 396.5448
BDR: 396.5448