Good Neighbor Policy returns; Nevadans can soon attend LTCC at reduced rate

Nevada residents who live at the lake will soon be able to attend Lake Tahoe Community College at a reduced tuition rate instead of the higher out-of-state tuition fees other non-residents pay.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 605 which was introduced by Senator Ted Gaines who represents South Lake Tahoe. It is now up to Nevada to reciprocate with enactment of their Senate Bill 414. Senator James Settelmeyer, who represents Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey counties, introduced the bill earlier this year and Nevada Governor Sandoval signed it into law in June.

Once all of the policies and procedures are set there will be a 45% discount to Nevada residents living in the Tahoe Basin who attend LTCC. The current California resident tuition is $31 per unit, or $1,395 for a full-time student. The current non-resident tuition is $170 per unit, or $7,650 for full-time. With SB605 in place, students on the Nevada side of the border will pay $93 per unit, or $4,185 to attend full-time. That is a savings of $77 per unit, or $3,465 for full-time, year-round attendance.

“This bill will help manage those costs for students, strengthen LTCC, and contribute to a healthier regional economy,” said LTCC Superintendent/President Dr. Kindred Murillo. “This is another game changer for the Tahoe Basin. Education should not be stopped because there is a state line, as it only hurts the students who need us the most. This legislation will help those students who struggle with transportation, working multiple jobs - the students who need community college the most.”

LTCC had a Good Neighbor Policy (GNP) in place with Nevada for more than two decades that was discontinued in 2011, when Nevada’s system of higher education was forced to make deep cuts during the country’s recession. The loss of the GNP affected low-income students living in communities near Stateline particularly hard. Many were service industry workers who could no longer afford to continue their college studies at LTCC, and had difficulty affording the commute to Carson City to attend WNC.

Besides policies and procedures being set, there are a few last steps to make the discounted tuition a reality. They must finalize an agreement with Western Nevada College, and get approval from the California Community College Board of Governors. LTCC is working to implement the new, reduced fees for nearby Nevada residents as quickly as possible.