Senate Bill 2022

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO ARE UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES FROM RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID AWARDED BY ANY STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING OR PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) No covered student unlawfully present in the United States shall receive a postsecondary education public benefit. State institutions of higher learning and public community colleges awarding postsecondary education public benefits to covered students shall verify that these students are United States citizens, permanent residents, or lawfully present in the United States.

(2) The following documents, in hard copy or electronic form, may be used to document that a covered student is a United States citizen, permanent resident, or is lawfully present in the United States:

(a) The Free Application for Student Aid Institutional Student Information Record;

(b) A state-issued driver's license;

(d) Documentary evidence recognized by the Department of Revenue when processing an application for a driver's license or nondriver's identification card;

(e) A United States birth certificate;

(f) A United States military identification card; or

(g) Any document issued by the federal government that confirms an alien's lawful presence in the United States.

(3) All state institutions of higher learning and public community colleges shall annually certify to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the State Board of Community/Junior Colleges, as is appropriate, that they have not knowingly awarded a postsecondary education public benefit to a covered student who is unlawfully present in the United States.

(4) As used in this section, the following terms shall mean: (a) "Covered student" means a student eighteen (18) years of age or older who has graduated from high school and is attending classes on the campus of a state institution of higher learning or public community college during regularly scheduled academic sessions.

(b) "Postsecondary education public benefit" means institutional financial aid awarded by state institutions of higher learning or public community colleges and state-administered postsecondary grants and scholarships awarded by all state institutions of higher learning or public community colleges to covered students.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.