HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended April 27, 2015 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading April 23, 2015First Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 15-0029.01 Brita Darling x2241 HOUSE BILL 15-1027 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Salazar, SENATE SPONSORSHIP Guzman, House Committees Senate Committees Education Appropriations A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning in-state tuition for American Indians from tribes with historical ties to Colorado, and, in connection therewith, reducing an appropriation. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill requires a state-supported institution of higher education to classify as an in-state student for tuition purposes a student who is a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe with historical ties to Colorado, as designated by the Colorado commission of Indian affairs in consultation with history Colorado. A student classified as an in-state student pursuant to this tuition classification may be counted as a resident for any purpose pursuant to title 23, C.R.S., and is eligible for state financial aid and the college opportunity fund stipend. The bill exempts Fort Lewis college from its provisions. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-7-112 as follows: 23-7-112. Tuition classification for members of American Indian tribes with historical ties to Colorado - legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) Often due to circumstances beyond their control, many American Indian tribes and members of American Indian tribes have been forced to relocate across state lines, far from their historical home places. As a consequence, American Indian high school students often only receive in-state tuition eligibility in their state of current residence, rather than the state that their tribes traditionally called their ancestral home. (b) In 2011, less than forty-two percent of American Indian high school students chose to attend college, well below the national average of fifty-seven percent of all students; (c) American Indian high school students are also much less likely than their peers to attend an out-of-state college; (d) The families of American Indian high school students have poverty rates more than ten percentage points higher than the national average, with twenty-seven percent of American Indian households living below the federal poverty level; and (e) Therefore, it is in the best interests of the state and of affected American Indian students for Colorado to extend in-state tuition classification to any American Indian student who is a registered member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe with historical ties to Colorado. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, beginning with the 2015-16 academic year, a student who would not otherwise be classified as an in-state student pursuant to this article shall be classified as an in-state student at the institutions of this state if the student is a registered member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe with historical ties to Colorado, as designated by the Colorado commission of Indian affairs, established pursuant to article 44 of title 24, C.R.S., in consultation and partnership with the office of archeology and historic preservation at history Colorado, or its successor office. (3) A student who is classified as an in-state student pursuant to this section: (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection (3), may be counted as a resident student for any purpose pursuant to this title; and (b) Is eligible for state-funded financial aid and may be eligible for institutional or private financial aid; and (c) Is not eligible for a college opportunity fund stipend pursuant to the provisions of part 2 of article 18 of this title. (4) The provisions of this section do not apply to Fort Lewis college due to its historic commitment to Native American education. Furthermore, nothing in this section modifies or affects the Indian pupil tuition waiver pursuant to section 23-52-105 (1) (b) (I). SECTION 2. Appropriation - adjustments to 2015 long bill. To implement this act, the general assembly anticipates that the cash funds amount received by the department of higher education from the students' share of tuition, which is included in the annual general appropriation act for the 2015-16 state fiscal year for informational purposes only, will be decreased by a total of $2,666,718 as follows: Governing boards Trustees of Adams state university $55,205 Trustees of Colorado Mesa university$198,738 Trustees of Metropolitan state university of Denver $55,205 Trustees of Western state Colorado university$33,123 Board of governors of the Colorado state university system $515,798 Regents of the university of Colorado$863,892 Trustees of the Colorado school of Mines$14,571 University of Northern Colorado $29,142 State board for community colleges and occupational education state system community colleges $901,044 SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.