HB1616 (2008) Detail

Relative to financial aid for students losing aid due to registering to vote.


HB 1616-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2008 SESSION

08-2116

04/05

HOUSE BILL 1616-FN

AN ACT relative to financial aid for students losing aid due to registering to vote.

SPONSORS: Rep. Pierce, Graf 9

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill provides that a student attending a school within the university or community college systems of New Hampshire, who loses financial aid as a result of registering to vote in New Hampshire, may have the amount of such aid credited to their account upon furnishing satisfactory evidence of such loss to the financial aid office of the school he or she is attending.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

08-2116

04/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight

AN ACT relative to financial aid for students losing aid due to registering to vote.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; University System of New Hampshire; Financial Aid Loss Resulting From Voter Registration. Amend RSA 187-A by inserting after section 25-a the following new section:

187-A:25-b Financial Aid Loss Resulting From Voter Registration. Any student attending a school within the university system of New Hampshire, who loses financial aid solely due to the student registering to vote in New Hampshire, may have the amount of such aid credited to his or her account by the school, provided the student furnishes satisfactory written proof of such loss to the financial aid office of the school he or she is attending. Satisfactory proof shall include evidence that the student made his or her best effort to retain the aid. The financial aid office shall render a decision in a timely manner to minimize undue financial or administrative hardship to students.

2 New Section; Community College System of New Hampshire; Financial Aid Loss Resulting From Voter Registration. Amend RSA 188-F by inserting after section 16 the following new section:

188-F:16-a Financial Aid Loss Resulting From Voter Registration. Any student attending a school within the community college system of New Hampshire, who loses financial aid solely due to the student registering to vote in New Hampshire, may have the amount of such aid credited to his or her account by the school, provided the student furnishes satisfactory written proof of such loss to the financial aid office of the school he or she is attending. Satisfactory proof shall include evidence that the student made his or her best effort to retain the aid. The financial aid office shall render a decision in a timely manner to minimize undue financial or administrative hardship to students.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

08-2116

Revised 12/28/07

HB 1616 FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to financial aid for students losing aid due to registering to vote.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire state this bill may reduce state restricted revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or state, county, and local expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

    The University System of New Hampshire states this bill would have the System credit any student for the loss of financial aid received as an out-of-state student caused by registering to vote in New Hampshire. The System states it is not possible to estimate the cost of such credits because it is unclear what aid would be lost by such students.

    The Community College System of New Hampshire states approximately 95% of students are New Hampshire residents. Of the remaining 5%, the System assumes they commute from their out-of-state residences to New Hampshire with the exception of 20 students who live in the dormitories on the Concord campus. During the fall 2007 semester two of the 20 students were international students; therefore, this bill could affect an estimated 18 students per year. The System states it cannot estimate how many of the 18 students might register to vote in New Hampshire and lose financial aid as a result. The System states the language in this bill is permissive by stating that financial aid may be credited to a student’s account; therefore, the Board of Trustees would have to decide whether to implement such a credit to a student’s account. If the amount of financial aid lost is credited to a student’s account, restricted tuition revenue to the System will be reduced by that amount.