SENATE BILL No. 554

 

 

June 2, 2005, Introduced by Senators THOMAS and CLARKE and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

 

 

     A bill to require that state universities classify certain

 

aliens as residents of this state for purposes of charging tuition.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Financial need" means need as determined by a state

 

university based upon a need analysis standard established by the

 

state university. The standard shall take into consideration the

 

financial resources of the student and his or her family.

 

     (b) "State university" means a state institution of higher

 

education described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the

 

state constitution of 1963.

 

     (c) "Tuition" means the quarter or semester charges imposed to

 

attend a state university and all mandatory fees required as a

 

condition of enrollment at that state university.

 

     Sec. 2. For tuition purposes, until the individual establishes


 

a residence outside of this state, the governing board of a state

 

university shall classify an individual who is not a citizen or

 

permanent resident of the United States as a resident of this state

 

if all of the following conditions are met:

 

     (a) The individual resided with his or her parent or legal

 

guardian while attending a public or private high school in this

 

state.

 

     (b) The individual graduated from a public or private high

 

school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this

 

state.

 

     (c) The individual had resided in this state for at least 3

 

years on the date the individual graduated from high school or

 

received the equivalent of a high school diploma.

 

     (d) The individual was not enrolled as an entering student at

 

the state university before the 2004 fall semester.

 

     (e) The individual provides to the state university an

 

affidavit stating that the individual will file an application to

 

become a permanent resident of the United States at the earliest

 

opportunity the individual is eligible to do so.

 

     Sec. 3. The governing board of a state university shall give

 

an alien who is living in the United States under a visa permitting

 

permanent residence or who has applied to or has a petition pending

 

with the United States immigration and naturalization service to

 

attain lawful status under federal immigration law the same

 

privilege of qualifying for resident status for tuition purposes as

 

a citizen of the United States.

 

     Sec. 4. A foreign student enrolled in a state university who


 

is a resident of Mexico and who demonstrates a financial need is

 

entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided for residents of this

 

state.

 

     Sec. 5. An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a

 

dependent and who, along with 1 of the individual's parents, was

 

formerly a resident of this state is entitled to pay tuition at the

 

rate provided for residents of this state if both of the following

 

conditions are met:

 

     (a) The individual and the parent with whom the individual

 

primarily resides change their legal residence from this state to

 

another state.

 

     (b) The other parent, with whom the individual does not

 

primarily reside, continues to reside in this state and is not

 

delinquent on the payment of any child support.

 

     Sec. 6. This act applies only to tuition for a term or

 

semester that begins on or after the effective date of this act.