SB308 - Revises provisions relating to waivers of fees charged to students within the Nevada System of Higher Education. (BDR 34-753)

S.B. 308 - *SB308* SENATE BILL NO. 308–SENATOR TAYLOR MARCH 10, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to waivers of fees charged to students within the Nevada System of Higher Education. (BDR 34-753) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No. Effect on the State: Yes. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to education; revising provisions governing certain waivers of fees assessed against students enrolled in a school within the Nevada System of Higher Education; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law provides for a waiver of registration fees and laboratory fees, and 1 in certain cases, any other mandatory fees, assessed against a student enrolled in a 2 school within the Nevada System of Higher Education who is: (1) a member of the 3 active Nevada National Guard, including a recruit; (2) a child, widow or widower 4 of a person who was killed while performing his or her duties as a member of the 5 Nevada National Guard; (3) a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States 6 who has been awarded the Purple Heart, or a child of such a veteran; (4) the spouse 7 or child of a person who is identified as a prisoner of war or missing in action while 8 performing his or her duties as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; 9 (5) identified as a homeless or unaccompanied pupil; and (6) a member of a 10 federally recognized Indian tribe or nation, or certified as being a descendant of an 11 enrolled member of an Indian tribe or nation. Existing law provides varying criteria 12 for the programs and courses for which an eligible student may use these waivers. 13 (NRS 396.544, 396.5442, 396.5443, 396.5445, 396.5448, 396.5449) Sections 1-6 14 of this bill standardize the types of fees for which such waivers may be granted, and 15 the programs and courses for which such waivers may be used. Specifically, 16 sections 1-6 apply these waivers to the registration fees, laboratory fees and any 17 other mandatory fees for classes taken towards satisfying the requirements of an 18 undergraduate or graduate degree at a school within the Nevada System of Higher 19 Education. 20 – 2 – - *SB308* THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 396.544 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 396.544 1. The Board of Regents of the University of 2 Nevada may grant a waiver of registration fees , [and] laboratory 3 fees and any other mandatory fees for classes taken towards 4 satisfying the requirements of an undergraduate or graduate 5 degree at a school within the System for any member of the active 6 Nevada National Guard, including, without limitation, a recruit . [, 7 who attends a school within the System as a full-time or part-time 8 student.] 9 2. A member of the active Nevada National Guard who has 10 reenlisted may, in lieu of using the waiver himself or herself and 11 regardless of whether the member was granted a waiver pursuant to 12 this section before reenlistment: 13 (a) Assign such a waiver to his or her spouse or child for [credits 14 applicable toward the course work required for the award to the 15 spouse or child of an associate’s degree, baccalaureate degree or 16 certificate at any] classes taken towards satisfying the requirements 17 of an undergraduate or graduate degree at a school within the 18 System. 19 (b) Reassign such a waiver to his or her spouse or child, as 20 applicable, if the person to whom the waiver was assigned pursuant 21 to paragraph (a) does not use the waiver to attend a school within 22 the System . [as a full-time or part-time student.] 23  For each period of reenlistment of a member, the benefit 24 provided pursuant to this subsection may only be used by one 25 eligible person. 26 3. For the purpose of assessing fees and charges against a 27 person to whom a waiver is granted, assigned or reassigned pursuant 28 to subsection 1 or 2, including, without limitation, tuition charges 29 pursuant to NRS 396.540, such a person shall be deemed to be a 30 bona fide resident of this State. 31 4. A person must be a member in good standing of the active 32 Nevada National Guard, including, without limitation, a recruit, at 33 the beginning of and throughout the entire semester for which the 34 waiver is granted. 35 5. A person to whom a waiver is granted, assigned or 36 reassigned pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must maintain at least a 2.0 37 grade point average, on a 4.0 grading scale, each semester for which 38 the waiver is granted, assigned or reassigned, or the equivalent of a 39 2.0 grade point average if a different grading scale is used. 40 6. The Board of Regents may request the Adjutant General to 41 verify the membership in the active Nevada National Guard of a 42 – 3 – - *SB308* person who is seeking or has been granted a waiver of registration 1 fees , [and] laboratory fees and other mandatory fees pursuant to 2 subsection 1. 3 7. The Adjutant General shall: 4 (a) Upon receiving a request from the Board of Regents 5 pursuant to subsection 6, notify the Board of Regents in writing 6 concerning the status and dates of membership of a person who is 7 seeking or has been granted a waiver of registration fees , [and] 8 laboratory fees and other mandatory fees pursuant to subsection 1. 9 (b) Maintain a record of any waiver that has been granted, 10 assigned or reassigned pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 and the person 11 to whom the waiver was assigned or reassigned. 12 (c) Before the beginning of each semester, certify in writing to 13 the Board of Regents that a waiver has been properly assigned or 14 reassigned to the person seeking to use the waiver . [to attend a 15 school within the System.] 16 8. If a waiver is granted pursuant to subsection 1 for a recruit 17 and the recruit does not enter full-time National Guard duty within 1 18 year after enlisting, the recruit shall reimburse the Board of Regents 19 for all registration fees , [and] laboratory fees and other mandatory 20 fees waived on behalf of the recruit if the recruit’s failure to enter 21 full-time National Guard duty is attributable to his or her own 22 conduct. 23 9. As used in this section: 24 (a) “Full-time National Guard duty” has the meaning ascribed to 25 it in 32 U.S.C. § 101(19). 26 (b) “Recruit” means a person who has enlisted in the Nevada 27 National Guard but has not begun his or her required military duty. 28 (c) “Spouse” includes a domestic partner as set forth in 29 NRS 122A.200. 30 Sec. 2. NRS 396.5442 is hereby amended to read as follows: 31 396.5442 1. The Board of Regents may grant a waiver of 32 registration fees , [and] laboratory fees and any other mandatory 33 fees for classes taken towards satisfying the requirements of an 34 undergraduate or graduate degree at a school within the System 35 for a child, widow or widower of a person who was killed while 36 performing his or her duties as a member of the Nevada National 37 Guard. For the purpose of assessing fees and charges against a 38 person to whom such a waiver is granted, including, without 39 limitation, tuition charges pursuant to NRS 396.540, the person shall 40 be deemed to be a bona fide resident of this State. 41 2. A person is eligible for a waiver pursuant to subsection 1 if 42 the person maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 43 grading scale, each semester or the equivalent of a 2.0 grade point 44 average if a different scale is used. 45 – 4 – - *SB308* 3. A child may use a waiver granted pursuant to this section for 1 10 years after the child attains the age of 18 years or, if the child 2 enrolls in the System before the age of 18 years, for 10 years after 3 the date of such enrollment. A widow or widower may use a waiver 4 granted pursuant to this section for 10 years after the date of the 5 death of the member. 6 4. The Board of Regents may request the Adjutant General to 7 verify that a person is the child, widow or widower of a person who 8 was killed while performing his or her duties as a member of the 9 Nevada National Guard. The Adjutant General shall, upon receiving 10 such a request, notify the Board of Regents in writing concerning 11 the status of that person. 12 Sec. 3. NRS 396.5443 is hereby amended to read as follows: 13 396.5443 1. The Board of Regents shall grant a waiver of the 14 payment of registration fees, laboratory fees and any other 15 mandatory fees [assessed each semester against] for classes taken 16 towards satisfying the requirements of an undergraduate or 17 graduate degree at a school within the System for a student who is: 18 (a) A veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States who has 19 been awarded the Purple Heart; or 20 (b) The child of such a veteran, if: 21 (1) The veteran is a bona fide resident of this State, or was a 22 bona fide resident of this State at the time of his or her death; and 23 (2) The child of the veteran graduated from a high school 24 located in this State. 25 2. The amount of the waiver must be equal to: 26 (a) If the student is entitled to receive any federal educational 27 benefits for a semester, the balance of registration fees, laboratory 28 fees and any other mandatory fees assessed against the student that 29 remain unpaid after the student’s account has been credited with the 30 full amount of the federal educational benefits to which the student 31 is entitled for that semester; or 32 (b) If the student is not entitled to receive any federal 33 educational benefits for a semester, the full amount of the 34 registration fees, laboratory fees and any other mandatory fees 35 assessed against the student for that semester. 36 3. [The waiver must be granted to a student who enrolls in any 37 program offered by a school within the System, including, without 38 limitation, a trade or vocational program, a graduate program or a 39 professional program. 40 4.] For the purpose of assessing fees and charges against a 41 student to whom a waiver is granted pursuant to this section, 42 including, without limitation, tuition charges pursuant to NRS 43 396.540, such a student shall be deemed to be a bona fide resident of 44 this State. 45 – 5 – - *SB308* [5.] 4. The Board of Regents may grant more favorable waivers 1 of registration fees, laboratory fees and any other mandatory fees for 2 classes taken towards satisfying the requirements of an 3 undergraduate or graduate degree for veterans of the Armed 4 Forces of the United States who have been awarded the Purple Heart 5 or the child of such a veteran than the waiver provided pursuant to 6 this section if required for the receipt of federal money. 7 [6.] 5. A child of a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United 8 States who has been awarded the Purple Heart may use a waiver 9 granted pursuant to this section for 10 years after the child attains 18 10 years of age, or, if the child enrolls in the System before attaining 18 11 years of age, for 10 years after the date of such enrollment. 12 Sec. 4. NRS 396.5445 is hereby amended to read as follows: 13 396.5445 1. The Board of Regents may grant a waiver of 14 registration fees , [and] laboratory fees and any other mandatory 15 fees for classes taken towards satisfying the requirements of an 16 undergraduate or graduate degree at a school within the System 17 for a spouse or child of a person who is identified as a prisoner of 18 war or missing in action while performing his or her duties as a 19 member of the Armed Forces of the United States. For the purpose 20 of assessing fees and charges against a person to whom such a 21 waiver is granted, including, without limitation, tuition charges 22 pursuant to NRS 396.540, the person shall be deemed to be a bona 23 fide resident of this State. 24 2. A person is eligible for a waiver pursuant to subsection 1 if 25 the person maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 26 grading scale, each semester or the equivalent of a 2.0 grade point 27 average if a different scale is used. 28 3. A spouse may use a waiver granted pursuant to this section 29 for 10 years after the date on which the member of the Armed 30 Forces was identified as a prisoner of war or missing in action. A 31 child may use a waiver granted pursuant to this section for 10 years 32 after the child attains the age of 18 years or, if the child enrolls in 33 the System before the age of 18 years, for 10 years after the date of 34 such enrollment. 35 4. The Board of Regents may request such documentation as it 36 deems necessary to verify that a person is the spouse or child of a 37 member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is identified 38 as a prisoner of war or missing in action while performing his or her 39 duties as a member of the Armed Forces. 40 Sec. 5. NRS 396.5448 is hereby amended to read as follows: 41 396.5448 1. The Board of Regents may grant a waiver of 42 registration fees , [and] laboratory fees and any other mandatory 43 fees for classes taken towards satisfying the requirements of an 44 undergraduate or graduate degree at a school within the System 45 – 6 – - *SB308* for a person who is identified as a homeless or unaccompanied 1 pupil. For the purpose of assessing fees and charges against a person 2 to whom such a waiver is granted, including, without limitation, 3 tuition charges pursuant to NRS 396.540, the person shall be 4 deemed to be a bona fide resident of this State. 5 2. A person is eligible for a waiver pursuant to subsection 1 if 6 the person maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 7 grading scale, each semester or the equivalent of a 2.0 grade point 8 average if a different scale is used. 9 3. A person may use a waiver granted pursuant to subsection 1 10 for 10 years after the person attains the age of 18 years or, if the 11 person enrolls in the System before the age of 18 years, for 10 years 12 after the date of such enrollment. 13 4. The Board of Regents may request documentation from a 14 person requesting a waiver pursuant to subsection 1 as it deems 15 necessary to verify that such a person was a homeless or 16 unaccompanied pupil. 17 5. As used in this sectio [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]