Higher educational institutions, public; exemption from out-of-state tuition rates.

Public institutions of higher education; exemption from out-of-state tuition rates. Permits an individual to be exempt from paying out-of-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth if he meets the following criteria: (i) attended high school for at least one year in the Commonwealth and either graduated from a public or private high school or program of home instruction in the Commonwealth or passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Secretary of Education and (ii) registers as an entering student or is enrolled in a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. The bill provides that this exemption shall be available to students who meet the criteria regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, except that students with currently valid visas issued under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(F), 1101(a)(15)(H)(iii), 1101(a)(15)(J) (including only students or trainees), or 1101(a)(15)(M) are not eligible. Information obtained in implementing the provisions of the bill is confidential and shall be used or disclosed only for purposes of administering the program. This bill is incorporated into HB 1547.