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H8252aa
2026 -- H 8252 AS AMENDED
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LC005981
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
Introduced By:
Representatives Diaz, Slater, Batista, and Felix
Date Introduced:
March 06, 2026
Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-59-9.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-59 entitled "Council on
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Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]"
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is hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-59-9.3. Student Success Act.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws:
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(1)
A
Any
student
, other than a nonimmigrant alien within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. §
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1101(a)(15),
who meets all of the following requirements shall be exempt from paying nonresident
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tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges, if
he or she
the student
:
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(i) Attended an approved Rhode Island high school for
three (3)
two (2)
or more consecutive
10
years;
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(ii) Continues to reside in the state of Rhode Island;
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(iii) Has graduated from an approved Rhode Island high school or received a high school
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equivalency diploma from the state of Rhode Island;
and
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(iv) Has filed, or will file, upon matriculation, with the Rhode Island public university,
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college, or community college of expected attendance, an affidavit stating that
:
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(A) The
the
student meets the requirements of subsections (1)(i)
and (1)(ii)
through (1)(iii)
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of this section
; and
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(B) If the student is not a United States citizen and does not have a lawful immigration
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status, that the student has filed an application for lawful immigration status, or will file the
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application as soon as the student is eligible to do so. The affidavit shall not require students to
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reveal their immigration or citizenship status.
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(2) Any nonimmigrant foreign national student, who has resided in Rhode Island for three
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(3) years and has attended a Rhode Island high school for three (3) years, will be eligible to pay the
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same in-state tuition as any other Rhode Island student.
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(3)
(2)
Identifiable student information obtained pursuant to subsection (1) of this section
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shall be confidential to the extent provided by state and federal law (including the federal Family
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Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)).
If information obtained pursuant to this section
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regarding a student’s immigration status is provided to any agency for purposes other than the
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implementation of this section, the entity providing the information shall promptly notify the
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student.
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(4)
(3)
The Rhode Island council for postsecondary education shall prescribe rules and
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regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this section.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
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This act would provide an exemption from paying nonresident tuition to any student who
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attended an approved Rhode Island high school for at least two (2) or more consecutive years;
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continues to reside in the State of Rhode Island; has graduated from an approved Rhode Island high
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school or received a high school equivalency diploma from the State of Rhode Island; and has filed,
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or will file, upon matriculation, with the Rhode Island public university, college, or community
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college of expected attendance, the appropriate exemption request.
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This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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