Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY J. PINKIN
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Provides legislative staff with up to 15 credits tuition-free per semester at four-year public institution of higher education on space-available basis.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning tuition benefits for certain students attending four-year public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, “legislative staff” means all staff, assistants, and employees of the Legislature who receive compensation from the State of New Jersey.
b. A legislative staff member shall be permitted to attend regularly-scheduled courses at a four-year public institution of higher education and receive up to 15 credits per semester tuition-free provided that:
(1) the legislative staff member has been accepted to pursue:
(a) a course of undergraduate study and is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at that institution;
(b) a course of graduate study and is enrolled as a graduate student in good standing at that institution; or
(c) a course of study leading to a professional degree and is enrolled as a professional degree student in good standing at that institution;
(2) the legislative staff member has applied for all available State student grants and scholarships and all available federal student grants and scholarships for which the staff member is eligible; and
(3) available classroom space permits and tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course.
2. This act shall take effect in the first full academic year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a legislative staff member is eligible to attend regularly-scheduled courses at a four-year public institution of higher education on a space-available basis and receive up to 15 credits per semester tuition-free provided that:
· the legislative staff member has been accepted to pursue a course of undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree study and is enrolled as an undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree student in good standing at that institution;
· the legislative staff member has applied for all available State and federal student grants and scholarships for which the staff member is eligible; and
· available classroom space permits and tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course.
The bill defines “legislative staff” to mean all staff, assistants, and employees of the Legislature who receive compensation from the State of New Jersey.