An Act To Allow Access to State Postsecondary Educational Institutions to Maine Seniors
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0301
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ASH, WESTON, BERRY, MARLEY, PARADIS, PELLON, SULLIVAN, THOMAS

Legislative Document 
No. 301 
HP.244 
House of Representatives, January 28, 2003 
An Act To Allow Access to State Postsecondary Educational 
Institutions to Maine Seniors 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative ASH of Belfast. 
Cosponsored by Senator WESTON of Waldo and 
17/~111.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BERRY of Belmont, DUGA Y of Cherryfield, MARLEY of Portland, McKEE 
of Wayne, PARADIS of Frenchville, PELLON of Machias, SULLIVAN of Biddeford, 
THOMAS of Orono. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 20-A MRSA c. 429-B is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 429-B 
TUITION WAIVER AT STATE POSTSECONDARY 
EDUCATIQHAL INSTITUTIONS FOR RESIDENTS 
YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER 
§1258l. 
Definition 
As 
used 
in this 
chapter, 
unless 
the 
context 
otherwise 
indicates, "state postsecondary educational institution" means 
the University of Maine System, Maine Maritime Academy and the 
Maine Technical College System. 
§12582. 
Tuition waiver 
Any person who meets the requirements of subsection 1 rna.}' 
audit courses in accordance with established institutional audit 
policy at any state postsecondary educational institution free of 
tuition charges, as provided in this section. 
1. 
Eligibility. 
A person is eligible for a tuition waiver 
under this chapter if the person is: 
A. 
A Maine resident; and 
B. 
Sixty-five years of age or older. 
A person is eligible 
at any time during the calendar year of that person's 65th 
birthday, regardless of the actual date during that calendar 
year. 
2. 
Limitation. 
The tuition waiver provided by this chapter 
is limited to courses where space is available. 
3. 
Continuation. 
The 
tuition waiver 
provided 
by 
this 
chapter 
is 
awarded 
on 
a 
yearly basis 
and 
continues 
to 
be 
available, 
if 
the 
person 
is 
otherwise 
eligible 
under 
this 
section, as long as the person remains in compliance with the 
state postsecondary educational 
institution's student 
conduct 
policies. 
4. 
Reyenue reduction. 
A state postsecondary educational 
institution shall absorb the reduction in tuition revenues that 
results from providing a tuition waiver to an eligible person 
under this chapter. 
The institution may not request additional 
General Fund appropriations from the Legislature to offset the 
reduction in tuition revenues. 
Page l-LR0732(1) 
§12583. 
Administration 
1. 
Application. 
A person desiring a tuition waiver under 
this chapter may apply to the state postsecondary educational 
institution for determination of eligibility. 
Application must 
be on forms and in a manner prescribed by the institution. 
2. 
Decision. 
A state postsecondary educational institution 
shall determine whether an applicant is eligible for a tuition 
waiver under this chapter and notify the applicant. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows residents 65 years of age and older to 
audit courses at any state postsecondary educational institution 
free of tuition charges. 
Individuals are allowed to audit only 
if space is available, as tuition-paying students have priority 
in the case of limited class size.