New Mexico Register / Volume XXX, Issue 10 / May 28, 2019
Notice of proposed rulemaking
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the New Mexico Higher Education Department
(NMHED or Department) will hold a public rulemaking hearing on July 8,
2019. The hearing will begin at 11:30
a.m. and will be held at NMHED located at 2044 Galisteo
Street, Suite 4, Santa Fe, NM
87505. The purpose of the
rulemaking hearing is to take public comment regarding
proposed amendments to 5.7.23 NMAC, COLLEGE
AFFORDABILITY GRANT.
Amendments:
5.7.23.7 NMAC, definitions
5.7.23.8 NMAC,
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
5.7.23.9 NMAC,
AMOUNT OF GRANT
5.7.23.10 NMAC,
ADMINISTRATION OF THE COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY GRANT
Purpose:
The
purpose of the proposed rule change is to increase the program’s maximum
allowable grant award amount. Pursuant to H.B. 127, 54th Leg., 1st Sess. (N.M.
2019), the maximum allowable award amount for the
grant has been increased from $1,000 per semester to $1,500 per semester. In addition, the distribution amount has been
increased from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.
Summary of proposed changes:
The
amendment to Section 5.7.23.7 NMAC updates the definition of “Returning adult”
to reference a high-school equivalency credential recognized by the State of
New Mexico rather than a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
The
amendment to Section 5.7.23.8 NMAC removes the reference to the General
Educational Development (GED) and replaces it with “high-school equivalency
credential recognized by the State of New Mexico.”
The
amendment to Section 5.7.23.9 NMAC increases the maximum allowable award amount
for the grant from $1,000 per semester to $1,500 per semester. Maximum amounts for summer grants, part-time awards
and awards for students enrolled three quarters time are also modified based on
the new maximum award amount.
The
amendment to Section 5.7.23.10 increases the funds available for distribution
from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.
Details for Obtaining a Copy, Public
Hearing and Comments: The proposed rule is available at NMHED
located at 2044 Galisteo Street, Suite 4, Santa Fe,
NM 87505-2100. The proposed rule is also posted on the NMHED
website and may be accessed at http://www.hed.state.nm.us/ under the “Events”
section. To request that a copy of the
proposed rule be sent to you by mail or e-mail, please contact HigherEd.Info@state.nm.us
or (505)476-8411.
A public hearing will be held from
11:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at NMHED on July 8,
2019. Any person who is or may be
affected by this proposed rule may appear and testify. Interested
persons may submit written comments to NMHED at 2044 Galisteo
Street, Suite 4, Santa Fe, NM 87505 or
HigherEd.Info@state.nm.us.
Written comments must be received no later
than 4:00 p.m. on June 28, 2019. Please note that any written comments
received will become part of the rulemaking record, be posted to the New Mexico
Sunshine Portal, and be accessible to the public. If submitting written comments by email, please indicate in the subject line the number and
section of each rule(s) for which you are providing comments. Oral comments will also be accepted at the rule hearing, subject
to time limitations.
Legal
authority for this rulemaking can be found in Sections 21-21L-1 through
21-21L-8, NMSA 1978.
Any person with a
disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language
interpreter, or auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the
hearing should contact (505)
476-8411 or email HigherEd.Info@state.nm.us ten (10) business days prior to the hearing.