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69th Legislature 2025 HB 282.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 282
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 282
2 INTRODUCED BY T. RUNNING WOLF, S. NOVAK, B. EDWARDS, J. ISALY, M. LEE, P. STRAND, T.
3 CROWE, J. SECKINGER, B. CLOSE, S. FYANT, J. SOOKTIS, M. CUNNINGHAM, E. MATTHEWS, J.
4 MORIGEAU, F. SMITH, S. WEBBER, M. FOX, G. LAMMERS, J. WINDY BOY, D. BAUM, T. FRANCE, D.
5 HAWK, S. HOWELL, K. KORTUM, S. MORIGEAU, A. OLSEN, E. STAFMAN, Z. ZEPHYR, S. DEMAROIS, D.
6 JOY, C. FITZPATRICK, J. LYNCH
7
8 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO TUITION WAIVERS FOR
9 AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS; AMENDING SECTION 20-25-421, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
10 DATE.”
11
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
13
14 Section 20-25-421, MCA, is amended to read:
15 "20-25-421.
16 charges, and incidental fees for students in institutions under their jurisdiction.
17 (2) The regents may utilize waivers in tuition and fees to aid in the recruitment of students to units
18 of the university system and to promote the policy of assisting the categories of students specified in this
19 subsection. The regents may:
20 (a) waive or discount nonresident tuition for selected and approved nonresident students, including
21 nonresident students who enroll under provisions of any WICHE-sponsored state reciprocal agreements that
22 provide for the payment, when required, of the student support fee by the reciprocal state;
23 (b) waive resident tuition for students at least 62 years of age;
24 (c) waive tuition and fees for:
25 (i) persons who have one-fourth Indian blood or more or are enrolled members or descendants of
26 a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the boundaries of the state of Montana and who have been
27 bona fide residents of Montana for at least 1 year prior to enrollment in the Montana university system;. In order
28 for descendants of a federally recognized Indian tribe to be eligible for a waiver under this subsection (2)(c)(i), a ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 282.1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 282
1 process for certification of descendancy must be formally adopted by the tribe and a copy of the certificate of
2 descendancy provided to the Montana university system by the waiver applicant.
3 (ii) persons designated by the department of corrections pursuant to 52-5-112 or 53-1-214;
4 (iii) residents of Montana who served with the armed forces of the United States in any of its wars
5 and who were honorably discharged from military service;
6 (iv) children of residents of Montana who served with the armed forces of the United States in any
7 of its wars and who were killed in action or died as a result of injury, disease, or other disability incurred while in
8 the service of the armed forces of the United States;
9 (v) the spouses or children of residents of Montana who have been declared to be prisoners of war
10 or missing in action;
11 (vi) the spouse or children of a Montana national guard member who was killed or died as a result
12 of injury, disease, or other disability incurred in the line of duty while serving on state military duty; or
13 (vii) qualified survivors of Montana firefighters or peace officers killed in the course and scope of
14 employment. For purposes of this subsection (2)(c)(vii), a qualified survivor is a person who meets the entrance
15 requirements at the state university or college of the person's choice and is the surviving spouse or child of any
16 of the following who were killed in the course and scope of employment:
17 (A) a paid or volunteer firefighter as described in 7-33-4107 or 19-17-108;
18 (B) a law enforcement officer as defined in 7-32-201; or
19 (C) a full-time highway patrol officer."
20
21 NEW SECTION. Section 2. The secretary of state shall send a
22 copy of [this act] to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.
23
24 NEW SECTION. Section 3. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
25 - END -