Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Provides that student is ineligible for State financial aid upon conviction for hazing.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning eligibility for student financial aid and amending N.J.S.18A:71B-2.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.18A:71B-2 is amended to read as follows:
18A:71B-2. a. A student who is enrolled in an eligible institution and who is eligible for and receives any form of student financial aid through a program administered by the State under this chapter shall be considered to remain domiciled in New Jersey and eligible for continued financial assistance notwithstanding the fact that the student is financially dependent upon the student's parents or guardians and that the parents or guardians change their domicile to another State.
b. A person shall not be awarded financial aid under this chapter unless the person has been a resident of this State for a period of not less than 12 months immediately prior to receiving the financial aid.
c. A person shall not be awarded student financial aid under this chapter unless the person is a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen, as determined under 20 U.S.C.s.1091. The authority shall determine whether persons who were eligible noncitizens prior to the effective date of the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996," Pub.L.104-193, but not after that date, shall continue to be eligible for student financial aid under this chapter.
d. A person who is incarcerated shall be eligible for student financial aid under this chapter provided that:
(1) the person had been a resident of this State for a period of not less than 12 months immediately prior to the date of incarceration;
(2) the person is a State-sentenced inmate; and
(3) the person receives approval from the Department of Corrections to enroll in an eligible institution.
e. A person who is convicted of hazing or aggravated hazing under P.L.1980, c.169 (C.2C:40-3 et seq.) shall not be eligible for student financial aid under this chapter.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.282, s.1)
2. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a student is ineligible for State financial aid upon a conviction for hazing or aggravated hazing under P.L.1980, c.169 (C.2C:40-3 et seq.).
Recent high-profile hazing incidents, such as the death of a fraternity pledge at Pennsylvania State University in February 2017, Louisiana State University in September 2017, and Florida State University in November 2017, demonstrate that hazing continues to be a problem with severe and fatal consequences. This bill establishes an additional deterrent to hazing by making a student ineligible for State financial aid upon a conviction of hazing or aggravated hazing.