Act No. 136 Page 1 of 1
2024
This act summary is provided for the convenience of the public and members of the General Assembly. It
is intended to provide a general summary of the act and may not be exhaustive. It has been prepared by the
staff of the Office of Legislative Counsel without input from members of the General Assembly. It is not
intended to aid in the interpretation of legislation or to serve as a source of legislative intent.
Act No. 136 (S.191). An act relating to New American educational grant opportunities
Subjects: Education; VSAC; advancement grant; residency requirement
Sec. 1 of this act amends 16 V.S.A. § 2846 to add an exception regarding the one-year
residency eligibility requirement for certain Advancement Grant applicants.
Advancement Grants are administered through the Vermont Student Assistance
Corporation (VSAC) and are for Vermonters pursuing nondegree education and training
opportunities who have been residents of Vermont for one year. This act exempts
Vermonters with certain immigration statuses from the one-year residency requirement,
but still requires applicants to meet all other eligibility requirements in order to qualify
for the grant.
Sec. 2 of this act creates a similar 3-year exception for the incentive grant program,
which is administered through VSAC and is for Vermonters who need financial
assistance and are pursuing undergraduate studies with the promise of completing a
degree program. This section allows persons with certain immigration statutes (the same
group of people who would qualify for the advancement grant residency exception under
Sec. 1 of this act) to not be ineligible for the Vermont incentive grant program based on
residency status. This language would still require applicants to meet all other eligibility
requirements. This section is repealed on July 1, 2027.
Sec. 3 of this act adds section 2828 to Title 16, which establishes that a Vermont
resident who is otherwise eligible for a State-funded financial aid program administered
by VSAC shall not be ineligible solely on the basis of such resident’s immigration status.
It also requires VSAC to establish procedures and forms accordingly.
Sec. 4 of this act amends 16 V.S.A. § 2185 to prevent the Board of Trustees of the
Vermont State Colleges Corporation from adopting in-state tuition policies that would
discriminate against or exclude a person based solely on the person’s immigration status,
or lack thereof, if such person would otherwise qualify for and meet requirements for
Vermont residency for in-state tuition purposes. It also requires any information
collected pursuant to this section to be kept confidential.
Sec. 5 of this act amends 16 V.S.A. § 2282a to prevent the Board of Trustees of the
University of Vermont and State Agricultural College from adopting in-state tuition
policies that would discriminate against or exclude a person based solely on the person’s
immigration status, or lack thereof, if such person would otherwise qualify for and meet
requirements for Vermont residency for in-state tuition purposes. It also requires any
information collected pursuant to this section to be kept confidential.
Multiple effective dates, beginning July 1, 2024
VT LEG #377553 v.2


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 16-2846
As Passed By the Senate -- Official: 16-2846
As Passed By the Senate -- Unofficial: 16-2846
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 16-2846, 16-2185, 16-2282a
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 16-2846, 16-2185, 16-2282a
As Enacted: 16-2846, 16-2185, 16-2282a