1     
VETERANS TUITION GAP PROGRAM ACT AMENDMENTS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Escamilla

5     
House Sponsor: Paul Ray

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Veterans' and Military Affairs Commission recommended this bill.
10               Membership:     5 legislators     18 non-legislators
11               Legislative Vote:     4 voting for     0 voting against     1 absent
12     General Description:
13          This bill amends access to the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
14     Highlighted Provisions:
15          This bill:
16          ▸     amends the federal programs to which the Veterans Tuition Gap Program (the
17     program) relates;
18          ▸     amends the institutions of higher education in which a qualifying veteran using the
19     program must be enrolled;
20          ▸     removes the requirement that a qualifying veteran using the program qualify for a
21     federal program; and
22          ▸     makes technical changes.
23     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24          None
25     Other Special Clauses:
26          None
27     Utah Code Sections Affected:
28     AMENDS:
29          53B-13b-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 141
30          53B-13b-103, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 87
31     

32     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
33          Section 1. Section 53B-13b-102 is amended to read:
34          53B-13b-102. Definitions.
35          As used in this chapter:
36          (1) "Federal program" means [the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
37     2008, Pub. L. No. 110-252.] a veterans educational assistance program established in:
38          (a) United States Code, Title 10, Chapter 1606, Educational Assistance for Members of
39     the Selected Reserve;
40          (b) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 30, All-Volunteer Force Educational
41     Assistance Program;
42          (c) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 31, Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans
43     with Service-Connected Disabilities;
44          (d) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 32, Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational
45     Assistance; or
46          (e) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 33, Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.
47          (2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means [a]:
48          [(a) credit-granting higher education institution within the state system of higher
49     education; or]
50          [(b) an institution of higher learning, as defined in the federal program, that is located
51     in the state.]
52          (a) an institution of higher education listed in Subsection 53B-2-101(1); or
53          (b) a private, nonprofit, postsecondary institution headquartered in Utah that is
54     accredited by a regional accrediting organization that the board recognizes.
55          (3) "Program" means the Veterans Tuition Gap Program created in this chapter.
56          (4) (a) "Qualifying military veteran" means a veteran, as defined in Section 68-3-12.5,
57     who:
58          (i) is a resident student under Section 53B-8-102 and rules of the board;
59          (ii) is accepted into an institution and enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's
60     degree;
61          [(iii) has qualified for the federal program;]
62          [(iv)] (iii) (A) has [maximized] exhausted the federal benefit under [the] a federal
63     program; or
64          (B) demonstrates that the veteran does not qualify to receive federal benefits under any
65     federal program; and
66          [(v)] (iv) has not completed a bachelor's degree.
67          (b) "Qualifying military veteran" does not include a family member.
68          Section 2. Section 53B-13b-103 is amended to read:
69          53B-13b-103. Establishment of the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
70          There is established a Veterans Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military
71     veterans with tuition assistance at institutions of higher education when:
72          (1) federal benefits under the federal program [are no longer] have been exhausted or
73     are not available; and
74          (2) a qualifying military veteran has not finished a bachelor's degree.




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