Senate Bill 1176 proposes the creation of a nonresident tuition exemption for certain students within the University of Wisconsin System. Currently, the Board of Regents has the authority to set different tuition rates for resident and nonresident students, with existing exemptions allowing some nonresidents to pay resident rates. This bill introduces a new exemption specifically for individuals who have lived in Wisconsin for at least 12 months prior to enrolling and who are in approved deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The bill adds a new section, 36.27 (2) (cr), to the statutes, outlining the eligibility criteria for this exemption. To qualify, individuals must meet the residency requirement and hold approved DACA status. The provisions of this act will first apply to students enrolling in the semester or session following its effective date.