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Assembly bill standardizes higher‑education fee waivers, adds hold‑harmless for current recipients
Summary
Assemblymember Howard Watts told the Ways and Means Committee May 28 that AB397 standardizes and clarifies tuition and fee waiver statutes across the Nevada System of Higher Education and adds a hold‑harmless provision for current recipients.
Assemblymember Howard Watts (D‑Assembly District 15) presented Assembly Bill 397 to the Ways and Means Committee on May 28 as a package of amendments to clarify and standardize existing tuition and fee waivers across the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). Watts said the changes were developed with NSHE and the chair of the Assembly Education Committee to address fiscal concerns and to align waiver language across statutes.
Key provisions explained by Watts included: - Requiring students who receive waivers to apply for federal grants and scholarships (FAFSA) so waivers cover the remaining balance; the bill explicitly excludes federal loans from being counted against a waiver. - Modernizing GPA language from a strict 2.0 requirement to meeting satisfactory academic progress and using a six‑year time frame for program completion. - Expanding the Native American fee waiver eligibility to include graduates of Nevada high schools who are members or descendants of any federally recognized tribe and members/descendants of tribes based wholly or partly in Nevada, regardless of residency. - Adding a hold‑harmless provision so students already receiving waivers will continue under the existing terms for up to six years to complete their programs.
Patricia Charlton, chancellor of NSHE, told the committee the conceptual amendments should remove the fiscal note and make the program cost neutral. Representatives from UNR, UNLV, Nevada State University, community colleges, and advocacy groups testified in support, noting the changes clarify legislative intent and help ensure waivers remain sustainable.
At work session, committee staff said the conceptual amendments would remove the NSHE fiscal note, and the committee moved to amend and do pass AB397; the motion carried by voice vote.
Why it matters: Supporters said standardizing waiver requirements and ensuring students pursue available federal aid will protect state funds and help students complete programs without unanticipated fees. The hold‑harmless clause is intended to prevent disruptions for current recipients while the system updates processes.
