S.B. 16

             1     

VETERANS TUITION GAP COVERAGE

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Robles

             5     
House Sponsor: Curtis Oda

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      Committee Note:
             9          The Veterans Reintegration Task Force recommended this bill.
             10              Membership:    5 legislators    15 non-legislators
             11              Legislative Vote:    5 voting for    0 voting against    0 absent
             12      General Description:
             13          This bill provides grants to qualifying military veterans who have maximized certain
             14      federal benefits.
             15      Highlighted Provisions:
             16          This bill:
             17          .    creates the Veterans Tuition Gap Program, which provides recipients of federal
             18      Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act benefits with additional grants to
             19      complete a bachelor's degree at certain institutions of higher education when federal
             20      benefits have been maximized;
             21          .    directs the State Board of Regents to:
             22              .    develop policies to implement and administer the program, within statutory
             23      guidelines; and
             24              .    distribute the program money to institutions of higher education; and
             25          .     establishes time limits that qualified military veterans may receive program grants.
             26      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          This bill appropriates:


             28          .    to the State Board of Regents - Student Assistance, as an ongoing appropriation:
             29              .    from the General Fund, $250,000, which is nonlapsing for fiscal year 2014-15.
             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2014.
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      ENACTS:
             34           53B-13b-101 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35           53B-13b-102 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             36           53B-13b-103 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             37           53B-13b-104 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             38     
             39      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             40          Section 1. Section 53B-13b-101 is enacted to read:
             41     
CHAPTER 13b. VETERANS TUITION GAP PROGRAM ACT

             42          53B-13b-101. Title.
             43          This chapter is known as the "Veterans Tuition Gap Program Act."
             44          Section 2. Section 53B-13b-102 is enacted to read:
             45          53B-13b-102. Definitions.
             46          As used in this chapter:
             47          (1) "Federal program" means the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
             48      2008, Pub. L. No. 110-252.
             49          (2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a:
             50          (a) credit-granting higher education institution within the state system of higher
             51      education; or
             52          (b) private, nonprofit college or university in the state that is accredited by the
             53      Northwest Commission for Colleges and Universities.
             54          (3) "Program" means the Veterans Tuition Gap Program created in this chapter.
             55          (4) (a) "Qualifying military veteran" means an individual who:
             56          (i) is a resident student under Section 53B-8-102 and rules of the board;
             57          (ii) is accepted into an institution and enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's
             58      degree;


             59          (iii) has qualified for the federal program;
             60          (iv) has maximized the federal benefit under the federal program; and
             61          (v) has not completed a bachelor's degree.
             62          (b) "Qualifying military veteran" does not include a family member.
             63          Section 3. Section 53B-13b-103 is enacted to read:
             64          53B-13b-103. Establishment of the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
             65          There is established a Veterans Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military
             66      veterans with tuition assistance at institutions of higher education when federal benefits under
             67      the federal program are no longer available and a qualifying military veteran has not finished a
             68      bachelor's degree.
             69          Section 4. Section 53B-13b-104 is enacted to read:
             70          53B-13b-104. Guidelines for administration of the program.
             71          (1) The board shall use the guidelines in this section to develop policies to implement
             72      and administer the program.
             73          (2) (a) The board shall allocate money appropriated for the program to institutions to
             74      provide grants for qualifying military veterans.
             75          (b) The board may not use program money for administrative costs or overhead.
             76          (c) An institution may not use more than 3% of its program money for administrative
             77      costs or overhead.
             78          (d) Money returned to the board under Subsection (3)(b) shall be used for future
             79      allocations to institutions.
             80          (3) (a) An institution shall award a program grant to a qualifying military veteran on an
             81      annual basis but distribute the money one quarter or semester at a time, with continuing awards
             82      contingent upon the qualifying military veteran maintaining satisfactory academic progress as
             83      defined by the institution in published policies or rules.
             84          (b) At the conclusion of the academic year, money distributed to an institution that was
             85      not awarded to a qualifying military veteran or used for allowed administrative purposes shall
             86      be returned to the board.
             87          (4) A qualifying military veteran may receive a program grant until the earlier of the
             88      following occurs:
             89          (a) the qualifying military veteran completes the requirements for a bachelor's degree;


             90      or
             91          (b) 12 months from the time that the qualifying military veteran receives an initial
             92      program grant.
             93          (5) A qualifying military veteran who receives a program grant may only use the grant
             94      toward tuition at an institution of higher education in the state.
             95          (6) The board may accept grants, gifts, bequests, and devises of real and personal
             96      property from any source for the purpose of awarding grants to qualifying military veterans in
             97      addition to those funded by the state.
             98          Section 5. Appropriation.
             99          Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
             100      the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the following sums of money
             101      are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
             102      previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
             103      addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2015.
             104          To State Board of Regents - Student Assistance
             105              From General Fund                            $250,000
             106              Schedule of Programs:
             107                   Veterans Tuition Gap Program        $250,000
             108          The Legislature intends that:
             109          (1) under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, appropriations under this section not
             110      lapse at the close of fiscal year 2015; and
             111          (2) the use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
             112          Section 6. Effective date.
             113          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2014.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-22-13 3:40 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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