(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Eligible student without legal immigration status” means any person who (A) is entitled to classification as an in-state student for tuition purposes pursuant to subdivision (9) of section 10a-29, (B) was thirty years of age or younger on June 15, 2012, (C) was sixteen years of age or younger when he or she arrived in the United States and has continuously resided in the United States since such arrival, and (D) has not been convicted of a felony in this state or in another state;

(2) “Eligible veteran without legal immigration status” means any person who (A) is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States without legal immigration status, (B) was thirty years of age or younger on June 15, 2012, (C) was fifteen years of age or younger when he or she arrived in the United States and has continuously resided in the United States since such arrival, and (D) has not been convicted of a felony in this state or in another state;

(3) “Institutional financial aid” means funds set aside from the anticipated tuition revenue of an institution of higher education for the purposes of providing tuition waivers, tuition remissions, grants for educational expenses and student employment for full-time or part-time students who are enrolled in a degree-granting program or a precollege remedial program and who demonstrate substantial financial need; and

(4) “Public institution of higher education” means those institutions of higher education identified in subdivisions (1) and (2) of section 10a-1.

(b) On and after April 27, 2018, in accordance with 8 USC 1621(d), any eligible veteran without legal immigration status who files an affidavit with an institution of higher education pursuant to subdivision (9) of section 10a-29, stating that such eligible veteran has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status, or will file such application as soon as he or she is eligible, shall be eligible to apply for and receive, to the extent permitted by federal law, institutional financial aid to attend a public institution of higher education in the state.

(c) On January 1, 2020, or the effective date of an Act of Congress that provides a pathway to United States citizenship for an eligible student without legal immigration status, whichever is earlier, and for each semester thereafter, in accordance with 8 USC 1621(d), any eligible student without legal immigration status who files an affidavit with an institution of higher education pursuant to subdivision (9) of section 10a-29, stating that such eligible student has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status, or will file such application as soon as he or she is eligible, shall be eligible to apply for and receive, to the extent permitted by federal law, institutional financial aid to attend a public institution of higher education in the state.

(d) Not later than July 1, 2018, the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the Board of Trustees for The University of Connecticut shall establish procedures and develop forms to enable persons who are eligible for institutional financial aid under subsections (b) and (c) of this section to apply for and receive, to the extent permitted by federal law, such institutional financial aid.

(e) Nothing in this section is intended to require or compel a public institution of higher education to match the amount of federal student financial aid a person who is eligible for institutional financial aid under subsection (a) of this section would receive if such person was eligible for such federal student financial aid.

(f) The Board of Regents for Higher Education and the Board of Trustees for The University of Connecticut may adopt policies as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(P.A. 18-2, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 18-2 effective April 27, 2018.