HOUSE BILL NO. 34

INTRODUCED BY STOVALL J

BY REQUEST OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REQUIRING THE BOARD OF REGENTS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENT NONBENEFICIARY STUDENTS ATTENDING TRIBALLY CONTROLLED COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN MONTANA; AMENDING SECTION 20-25-428, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE ."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 20-25-428, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-25-428. Financial assistance for resident nonbeneficiary students. (1) The regents shall provide financial assistance to tribally controlled community colleges for enrolled resident nonbeneficiary students.

(2) Each tribal community college shall apply for this assistance to the regents. Except as provided in subsection (4), the regents shall provide to each tribal community college an amount equal to $1,500 for each resident nonbeneficiary full-time equivalent student enrolled in that tribal community college during the previous year. To qualify, a resident nonbeneficiary student shall meet the residency requirements as prescribed for the system by the regents. The distribution for any student is limited to a maximum of $1,500 each year for each full-time equivalent student.

(3) An expenditure is contingent upon the tribal community college:

(a) being accredited or being a candidate for accreditation by the northwest association of schools and colleges;

(b) entering into a contract or a state-tribal cooperative agreement, pursuant to Title 18, chapter 11, with the regents to provide the regents with information relating to eligibility of resident nonbeneficiary students and documentation on the curriculum to ensure that the content and quality of courses offered by the tribal community college are consistent with the standards adopted by the system; and

(c) filing with the regents evidence that the college's enrollment of Indian students is at least 51%, as required by the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, 25 U.S.C. 1804.

(4) Prior to receiving money pursuant to subsection (1), each tribal community college shall:

(a) grant to resident nonbeneficiary students who meet the residency requirements, as prescribed for the system by the regents, fee waivers in the same percentage as the number of Indian students who are receiving fee waivers to attend a unit of the system bears to the total enrollment in the system; and

(b) subtract the costs of resident nonbeneficiary fee waivers granted under subsection (4)(a) from the total amount of money to be distributed as derived from the formula established in subsection (2).

(5) The calculation in subsection (4) is not intended to allow the university system to retain the calculated amount of funds. Waivers must be given to eligible students."

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Notification to tribal governments. The secretary of state shall send a copy of [this act] to each tribal government located on the seven Montana reservations and to the Little Shell band of Chippewa.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date . [This act] is effective July 1, 1999.

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