ASSEMBLY, No. 1291

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman GILL and Assemblyman COHEN

An Act concerning free college tuition for children and spouses of murder victims and supplementing chapter 71 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Any child or surviving spouse of a person who was a resident of New Jersey and who died as the result of a criminal homicide for which a defendant was convicted by a State court for murder as defined pursuant to N.J.S.2C:11-3 shall have the tuition paid by the State while enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at any public institution of higher education as enumerated in N.J.S.18A:62-1. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply if the victim's murder was directly caused by involvement in the commission of a crime.

    If the child or surviving spouse is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at any independent college or university located in the State, the part of the tuition of the child or spouse which is not more than the highest tuition charged at the public institutions of higher education shall be paid by the State.

    In order to be eligible for this program, the child or spouse shall be a person who lived in the household of the victim, and the child shall be a person who was claimed as a dependent on the federal tax return of the victim or who received support from the victim by court order. Eligibility for the program shall be limited to a period of eight years from the date of the conviction of the defendant who was guilty of the criminal homicide, in the case of a surviving spouse, and eight years following graduation from high school, in the case of a child, pursuant to rules and regulations established by the Student Assistance Board.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill provides that the child or surviving spouse of a New Jersey resident who died as the result of a criminal homicide for which a defendant was convicted by State court for murder shall be entitled to free tuition at a State college or university or the equivalent tuition at a private college or university in the State. However, the provisions of this section would not apply if the victim's murder was directly caused by involvement in the commission of a crime. In addition, in order to be eligible, the child or spouse must be a person who lived in the household of the victim, and the child must be a person who was claimed as a dependent on the federal tax return of the victim or who received support from the victim by court order. Eligibility for the program is limited to a period of eight years from the date of the conviction of the defendant who was guilty of the criminal homicide, in the case of a surviving spouse, and eight years following graduation from high school, in the case of a child.

Provides free tuition at college or university in New Jersey for surviving spouse or child of murder victim.