Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 634
       
       
        
       By Senator Simon
       
       
       
       
       
       3-01014-24                                             2024634__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to residency status for tuition
    3         purposes; amending s. 1009.21, F.S.; providing an
    4         additional method for a student to prove residency for
    5         tuition purposes; providing an effective date.
    6          
    7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    8  
    9         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
   10  1009.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   11         1009.21 Determination of resident status for tuition
   12  purposes.—Students shall be classified as residents or
   13  nonresidents for the purpose of assessing tuition in
   14  postsecondary educational programs offered by charter technical
   15  career centers or career centers operated by school districts,
   16  in Florida College System institutions, and in state
   17  universities.
   18         (3)
   19         (c) Each institution of higher education shall
   20  affirmatively determine that an applicant who has been granted
   21  admission to that institution as a Florida resident meets the
   22  residency requirements of this section at the time of initial
   23  enrollment. The residency determination must be documented by
   24  the submission of written or electronic verification that
   25  includes two or more of the documents identified in this
   26  paragraph, unless the document provided is the document
   27  described in sub-subparagraph 1.f., which is deemed a single,
   28  conclusive piece of evidence proving residency. No single piece
   29  of evidence shall be conclusive.
   30         1. The documents must include at least one of the
   31  following:
   32         a. A Florida voter’s registration card.
   33         b. A Florida driver license.
   34         c. A State of Florida identification card.
   35         d. A Florida vehicle registration.
   36         e. Proof of a permanent home in Florida which is occupied
   37  as a primary residence by the individual or by the individual’s
   38  parent if the individual is a dependent child.
   39         f. An application for property tax exemption for homestead
   40  property that has been approved by a property appraiser,
   41  provided that such property has been continuously maintained as
   42  the primary residence for at least 12 months before the first
   43  day of the semester for which the resident status is being
   44  claimed Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida.
   45         g. Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple
   46  years if the Florida high school diploma or high school
   47  equivalency diploma was earned within the last 12 months.
   48         h. Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for
   49  at least 30 hours per week for a 12-month period.
   50         2. The documents may include one or more of the following:
   51         a. A declaration of domicile in Florida.
   52         b. A Florida professional or occupational license.
   53         c. Florida incorporation.
   54         d. A document evidencing family ties in Florida.
   55         e. Proof of membership in a Florida-based charitable or
   56  professional organization.
   57         f. Any other documentation that supports the student’s
   58  request for resident status, including, but not limited to,
   59  utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments; a
   60  lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments;
   61  or an official state, federal, or court document evidencing
   62  legal ties to Florida.
   63         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.