AN ACT EXPANDING THE DEBT-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

HB 5169 expands Connecticut’s existing debt-free community college program to include students attending Connecticut State University (CSU) campuses, such as Eastern, Western, and others. The bill amends Section 10a-174 of state statutes to add CSU students to the program’s eligibility, which currently covers community college attendees. This change directly affects CSU students who would now qualify for tuition-free education under the program. The key mechanism is a statutory update to broaden the program’s scope, without creating new funding streams. The bill focuses solely on expanding access to current debt-free education benefits for a new group of students.