SB 154-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2023 SESSION
23-0850
06/04
SENATE BILL 154-FN
AN ACT relative to tuition waivers for children in guardianships after being in state foster care.
SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15
COMMITTEE: Education
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ANALYSIS
This bill modifies eligible persons for tuition waivers for children in guardianships after being in state foster care.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
23-0850
06/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT relative to tuition waivers for children in guardianships after being in state foster care.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 State College and University System; Finances; Tuition Waiver for Children in State Foster Care or Guardianship. Amend RSA 187-A:20-b to read as follows:
187-A:20-b Tuition Waiver for Children in State Foster Care or Guardianship or Guardianship After Being in State Foster Care.
I. An eligible individual who enrolls full-time or part-time, with the approval of the division for children, youth and families, in a program leading to a certificate, associate, or bachelor degree at any public postsecondary institution within the state shall not be required to pay tuition or mandatory fees for attendance at such institution.
II. In this section, an eligible individual is a person who is less than 23 years of age and who is or was:
(a) In state foster care for the immediate 6-month period prior to his or her 18th birthday;
(b) In state guardianship or custody at the time of his or her 18th birthday;
(c) In guardianship, after being in state foster care or guardianship, at the time of their 18th birthday;
(d) In placement out-of-state, through the interstate compact for the placement of children;
[(c)] (e) Adopted while in state guardianship or adopted from the care, custody, and control of the department following a surrender or termination of parental rights; or
[(d)] (f) In an out-of-home placement under the supervision of the division for juvenile justice services at the time of his or her 18th birthday.
III.(a) Eligible individuals interested in a tuition waiver shall annually apply on forms provided and within the deadlines established by the university system of New Hampshire and the community college system of New Hampshire for their respective institutions. [No more than 15 tuition waivers per year shall be granted by the university system of New Hampshire and no more than 15 tuition waivers per year shall be granted by the community college system of New Hampshire.] In any year, no more than 70 tuition waivers shall be granted by the university and community college systems of New Hampshire. Of these 70 tuition waivers, 35 shall be allocated to the university system and 35 shall be allocated to the community college system. The university system of New Hampshire and the community college system of New Hampshire shall have the authority to develop eligibility criteria for their respective institutions designed to give the children with the greatest financial need first priority in the tuition waiver program. Such eligibility criteria shall also include provisions for continuing eligibility based on continued full-time or part-time, with the approval of the division for children, youth and families, enrollment and satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution.
IV. An eligible individual may also apply for a room and board scholarship under the provisions of RSA 187-A:20-a, II without having to comply with the provisions of RSA 187-A:20-a, I.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
23-0850
1/5/23
SB 154-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to tuition waivers for children in guardianships after being in state foster care.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | ||||
STATE: | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Revenue | $0 | USNH ($320,000) CCSNH ($140,000) | USNH ($330,000) CCSNH ($140,000) | USNH ($338,000) CCSNH ($140,000) | |
Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Funding Source: | [ ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - University System of New Hampshire (USNH) / Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) | ||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill expands eligibility for University System of New Hampshire (USNH) and Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) tuition and fee waivers to include youth placed in relative guardianship after being in state foster care (including relative guardianship out-of-state through the interstate compact for the placement of children). The bill would raise the maximum number of awards per year per system to 35 (an increase of 20 from the current maximum of 15) and take effect July 1, 2023 (i.e., 2023-24 fiscal year, students entering in fall 2023).
In FY 2022, USNH institutions waived approximately $230,000 in tuition and fees for 15 NH foster children, for a waiver average of $15,300. Assuming this average waiver amount, adjusted for an annual increase of 2.5%, to provide waivers for 20 additional students would decrease USNH revenue by approximately $320,000 in FY 2024, $330,000 in FY 2025, and $338,000 in FY 2026. For CCSNH, a full-time student’s waiver amount is estimated to be $7,000 per year, therefore an additional 20 waivers per year would result in a $140,000 annual revenue decrease.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
University System of New Hampshire and Community College System of New Hampshire