AB 217 — Revises provisions governing higher education. (BDR 34-464)

EXEMPT (Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 19, 2023) FIRST REPRINT A.B.

217 ASSEMBLYA SSEMBLY BILL N O.

217–ASSEMBLYMEN217–A SSEMBLYMEN W ATTS , GONZÁLEZ , ANDERSONA NDERSON , CONSIDINE,ONSIDINE , C.H.

MILLE;ILLER;

BACKUS , ILBRAYBILBRAY- -A AXELRODXELROD , BBROWN ROWN-MAY -M, AY, C ARTER, C OHEN , D’S ILVA, GORELOWG ORELOW , ALA RRUE UE HATCH , MOSCA , ETERSPETERS, , UMMERS - ARMSTRONGA RMSTRONG , AYLORTAYLOR , HOMAS AND TORRES FEBRUARY 22, 2023 ____________ JOINT SPONSORS:SPONSORS :

SENATORSENATORS FLORES, DONATE , EAL;EAL ;

LANGE,ANGE N, GUYENNGUYEN AND PPAZINA AZINA ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions governing higher education.

authorizing the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to require institutions within the System to prioritize registration for the enrollment of certain pupils in certain courses;

Existing law authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to grantunaccompanied. a waiver of registration and laboratory fees for homeless or unaccompanied pupils.

(NRS 396.5448) Section 4 of this bill instead requires the Board ofofless or Regents to waive such fees, as well as any other mandatory fees, for sucha pupils.pupil who, at any time before reaching the age of 25 years, was identified as homeless or unaccompanied.

Existing law authorizes the Board of Regents to request documentation from a person requesting such a waiver of fees to verify that the person was a homeless or unaccompanied pupil.

(NRS 396.5448) Section 44: limits the documentation which the Board of Regents is authorized to request under certain circumstances.

Section(1) -requires *AB217* – 2 – 4 provides for the adjustmentBoard of theBoard amount of theRegents feeis waiverrequired basedto uponrequest theunder amountcertain ofcircumstances. federal educational benefits the pupil receives.

Section 4the provides for the adjustment of the amount of the fee waiver based upon the amount - *AB217_R1* – 2 – of federal educational benefits the pupil receives.

withinfor theHomeless SystemPupils towithin provide priority registration in courses that provide crediton toward the awardSystem of a degree or certificate to aassist homeless orand unaccompaniedunaccompaniedcation pupilpupils or a person who was in thepursuing custodypost-secondary ofeducation. an agency that provides child welfare services when he or she was 14 years of age or older.

Existing(NRS law396.5926, creates396.594) theSection position2 of the Liaison for Post-Secondary Education for Homeless Pupils within the System to assist homeless and unaccompanied of this bill requires a university, state college or community college within the System to take certain steps to disseminate the name and contact information of the Liaison.

Section 5 of this bill makes a conforming change to indicate the proper placementthe definition of section“homeless 2pupil” infor the Nevadapurposes Revisedof Statutes.the provisions of law relating to the Liaison.

Section 67 of this bill revisesrequires thethat definitiona ofperson “homelessappointed pupil”to forbe the purposesLiaison ofbe thefamiliar provisionswith ofcertain lawfederal relatinglaws toas well as the Liaison.federal application for student aid and other federal programs, grants and assistance which benefit homeless and unaccompanied pupils.

Section 7 of this bill requires that a person appointed to be the student aid and other federal programs, grants and assistance which benefitation for homeless and unaccompanied pupils.

1.(Deleted by amendment.) Sec.

The Board of Regents may require an institution within the System to grant priority for registration for enrollment in courses that provide credit toward the award of a degree or certificate to a student who is identified as:

(a) A homeless or unaccompanied pupil;

or (b) A person who was in the custody of an agency which provides child welfare services in this State when he or she was 14 years of age or older.

2.

As used in this section:

(a) “Agency which provides child welfare services” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 432B.030.

(b) “Homeless pupil” has the meaning ascribed to the term “homeless children and youths” in 42 U.S.C.

§ 11434a(2).

- *AB217* – 3 – (c) “Unaccompanied pupil” has the meaning ascribed to the term “unaccompanied youth” in 42 U.S.C.

§ 11434a(6).

Sec.

(a) IsAt any time before reaching the age of 25 years, was identified as a homeless or unaccompanied pupil [.

- *AB217_R1* – 3 – 2.

The Board of Regents may[may] shall request documentation from a person requesting a waiver pursuant to subsection 1 as it deems necessary to verify that such a person was a homeless or unaccompanied pupil [.] , except that:

- *AB217* – 4 – (a) If the person is entitled to receive any federal educational benefits for a semester, the balance of registration fees, laboratory fees and any other mandatory fees assessed against the person that remain unpaid after the person’s account has been credited with the full amount of the federal educational benefits to which the person is entitled for that semester;

- *AB217_R1* – 4 – (a) “Homeless pupil” has the meaning ascribed to the term “homeless children and youths” in 42 U.S.C.

- *AB217* – 5 – (2) The provisions of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Public Law 110-84;

- *AB217_R1* – 5 – Sec.

(h) Increase awareness among teachers, instructors, professors , staff of financial aid offices, student support services and campus - *AB217* – 6 – housing services and other staff members of institutions of higher education who work with pupils on issues relating to homeless and unaccompanied pupils, including, without limitation, identifying such pupils and referring such pupils to appropriate resources;

(j) Identify and coordinate with food banks and clothing banks or establish one or more food banks or clothing banks on a campus of an institution of higher education within this State to provide ser(k)services Establishto a plan for housing homeless and unaccompanied pupilspupils; when campus housing is not available, including, without limitation, establishing a list of host homes in the local community and keeping one or more campus housing buildings open;