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S 929

Provides for the protection of health information

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Samra Brouk and 11 co-sponsors

Creates a state grant program to make public higher education tuition- and fee-free for eligible Massachusetts residents, with Pell aid covering other costs for eligible students.

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Bill Summary · S 929

Summary — S.929 (Senate No. 929) — An Act relative to debt‑free public higher education

Status snapshot
- Introduced (filed): 01/10/2025 (Senate Docket No. 300).
- Latest procedural status in record: Returned to Senate; hearing scheduled 07/18/2025 (01:00–05:00 PM, A‑2).
- Companion/substitute: A2141.
- Note on metadata: the document provided contains conflicting header information (an initial "GATE Act" / health‑information title and a list of U.S. Senate cosponsors). The bill text and legislative actions below pertain to a Massachusetts state bill introduced by Senator James B. Eldridge, proposing guaranteed debt‑free public higher education in Massachusetts.

Purpose and intent
- Declares it Commonwealth policy to “guarantee free public higher education as a right for all residents,” and establishes a state grant program to make public higher education tuition‑ and fee‑free for eligible Massachusetts students.

Key provisions
1. Policy declaration
- Amends section 1 of chapter 15A to add the explicit policy goal of guaranteeing free public higher education to residents.

  1. New Section 46 (Chapter 15A) — Definitions and Eligibility

    • “Eligible Student” includes any person admitted to a Massachusetts public college, university, certificate, vocational, or adult education program (full‑ or part‑time), except nonimmigrant aliens as defined by federal law.
    • Eligibility requires: attendance at a Massachusetts high school for 3+ years and graduation (or equivalent via MA adult basic education), or current status qualifying for in‑state tuition under federal regs. The bill cites 8 U.S.C. 1621(d) to classify this as a state law enabling certain noncitizen students’ access.

  2. Grant program to cover tuition and mandatory fees

    • The Board of Higher Education must create a grant program that pays the equivalent of tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students at any Massachusetts public institution (including vocational and training programs).
    • Students who meet Federal Pell Grant income eligibility receive additional grant aid to cover other costs of attendance as calculated by the enrolling institution (examples listed: room & board, books, supplies, transportation, personal expenses).

  3. Non‑replacement and coordination with other aid

    • Grants are expressly supplemental — they shall not replace existing state grants, gift aid, institutional aid, or federal aid obtained via FAFSA. The Board must promulgate regulations to prevent this program from reducing students’ eligibility for other aid.

  4. Universal institutional eligibility and student choice

    • All public higher education and vocational training institutions are eligible; no programmatic restrictions on students’ choice of academic programs.

  5. Outreach and administration

    • Annual notice of eligibility to all eligible students and new MA high school/GED graduates.
    • The Board must maintain a database of students currently or potentially eligible.

Who would be affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Massachusetts residents who meet the bill’s eligibility criteria — public college/university entrants, vocational and certificate students, and Pell‑eligible students (who would receive additional cost‑of‑attendance aid).
- Institutions: All Massachusetts public higher education and public vocational/training institutions (will be required to participate administratively and calculate cost of attendance for supplemental aid).
- State government: Board of Higher Education responsible for program design, regulation, outreach, and maintaining an eligibility database; the Commonwealth would incur the fiscal cost of grants.

Fiscal and implementation considerations
- The bill does not specify an explicit funding source or appropriation amounts; covering in‑state tuition, mandatory fees, and expanded cost‑of‑attendance grants (for Pell‑eligible students) implies substantial new state expenditure. The magnitude would depend on enrollment, institutional tuition levels, and how “additional costs” are calculated.
- Administrative actions required: regulatory drafting, database creation/maintenance, annual notification, coordination with institutional financial aid and federal FAFSA processes.

Procedural/timeline notes
- Filed 01/10/2025 as Senate Docket No. 300. Legislative actions in the provided record show passage through various steps in January 2025 (Senate and Assembly actions, committee referrals), then readings/referrals in early 2025, and a scheduled hearing on 07/18/2025. Current status listed as “Returned to Senate.”

Limitations and observations
- The bill text focuses on program structure and eligibility but omits appropriation language or an implementation timeline (e.g., effective date, phased rollout), leaving fiscal and operational details to subsequent legislative or administrative action.
- The provided metadata contains inconsistent elements (different titles and sponsors). This summary reflects the bill text as submitted in Massachusetts (Senate No. 929 by James B. Eldridge) rather than the unrelated headers.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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