SENATE BILL 656

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; DEFINING "FULL TIME" FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR PURPOSES OF THE LOTTERY TUITION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 21-1-4.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1996, Chapter 71, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

     "21-1-4.3. LOTTERY TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AUTHORIZED--CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.--

          A. To the extent that funds are made available by the legislature from the lottery tuition fund, the boards of regents of New Mexico state university, New Mexico institute of mining and technology, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university, the university of New Mexico, New Mexico highlands university and northern New Mexico [state school]

college shall award lottery tuition scholarships for qualified resident students attending their respective institutions and branches of those institutions.

          B. Except as otherwise authorized in [Subsection C] of this section, the lottery tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall apply only to full-time resident students who, immediately upon completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma, are accepted for entrance to and attend one of the state educational institutions set forth in this section or one of the branches of those institutions. Each lottery tuition scholarship shall be awarded for up to four consecutive years beginning the second semester of the recipient's first year of enrollment [provided that] if the recipient has maintained residency in New Mexico and maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale during [his] the first semester of full-time enrollment.

          C. The lottery tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall also apply to full-time resident students who, immediately upon completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school or upon receiving a graduate equivalent diploma, attend a two-year public post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico and who, upon the completion of that curriculum or at the end of two years, whichever is sooner, transfer to one of the post-secondary state educational institutions set forth in this section. Those students shall be eligible for a tuition scholarship for two consecutive years [provided that those students] if they maintain residency in New Mexico, maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale and attend the institution full time during the regular academic year.

          D. The lottery tuition scholarships authorized in this section shall also apply to full-time resident students who:

                (1) within one hundred twenty days of completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private New Mexico high school, or of receiving a graduate equivalent diploma, begin service in the United States armed forces; and

                (2) within one hundred twenty days of completion of honorable service or medical discharge from the service are accepted for entrance to and attend one of the state educational institutions set forth in this section.

          E. The [commission on] higher education department shall prepare guidelines setting forth explicit student continuing eligibility criteria and guidelines for administration of the lottery tuition scholarship program. Guidelines shall be distributed to the board of regents of each institution to enable a uniform availability of the resident student lottery tuition scholarships.

          F. For purposes of the lottery tuition scholarship program as it applies to students with disabilities who may require special accommodations, the higher education department, in consultation with the student and the office at the institution that serves students with disabilities, shall review both the definition of "full time" and the maximum number of consecutive semesters of eligibility and adjust either or both as deemed reasonable and appropriate, based on the student's disability needs. In no case, however, shall "full time" mean fewer than six credit hours per term and in no case shall eligibility extend beyond fourteen consecutive semesters."

     Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2006.

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