House File 2230 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY WORTHAN, VAN FOSSEN, GRASSLEY, MAY, BAUDLER, TJEPKES, DEYOE, WINDSCHITL, DE BOEF, HUSEMAN, RAYHONS, and KAUFMANN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to a postsecondary tuition and mandatory fee 2 waiver for veterans attending community colleges or state 3 universities and making appropriations. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5509YH 82 6 kh/nh/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 260C.14, subsection 2, Code 2007, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 2. Have authority to determine tuition rates for 1 4 instruction. 1 5 a. Tuition for residents of Iowa shall not exceed the 1 6 lowest tuition rate per semester, or the equivalent, charged 1 7 by an institution of higher education under the state board of 1 8 regents for a full=time resident student. However, except for 1 9 students enrolled under chapter 261C, if a local school 1 10 district pays tuition for a resident pupil of high school age, 1 11 the limitation on tuition for residents of Iowa shall not 1 12 apply, the amount of tuition shall be determined by the board 1 13 of directors of the community college with the consent of the 1 14 local school board, and the pupil shall not be included in the 1 15 full=time equivalent enrollment of the community college for 1 16 the purpose of computing general aid to the community college. 1 17 b. Tuition for nonresidents of Iowa shall not be less than 1 18 the marginal cost of instruction of a student attending the 1 19 college. 1 20 c. A lower tuition for nonresidents may be permitted under 1 21 a reciprocal tuition agreement between a merged area and an 1 22 educational institution in another state, if the agreement is 1 23 approved by the director. 1 24 d. (1) The board shall waive tuition and mandatory fee 1 25 charges for not more than one hundred twenty=eight semester 1 26 credit hours or eight semesters of study, or the trimester or 1 27 quarter equivalent, less the amount of any fees paid under 10 1 28 U.S.C. } 2107(c) or 38 U.S.C. } 3104(a)(7)(A), if applicable, 1 29 for a student who is a veteran. The limitation on credit 1 30 hours and semesters of study shall be applied cumulatively 1 31 within the state postsecondary education system. The waiver 1 32 shall apply only for the amount of tuition and mandatory fee 1 33 charges that exceeds the total amount of any state and federal 1 34 education benefits, grants, or scholarships received by the 1 35 veteran, including but not limited to the federal Pell grant 2 1 and the federal Montgomery GI bill. 2 2 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall verify that 2 3 the veteran meets the requirements of this lettered paragraph. 2 4 (3) For purposes of this lettered paragraph, "veteran" 2 5 means a resident of this state who meets all of the following 2 6 conditions: 2 7 (a) Was a resident of this state at the time of entry into 2 8 the United States armed forces, reserve forces of the United 2 9 States, or the Iowa or other state national guard and is 2 10 currently a resident of this state. 2 11 (b) Served in active federal service after September 11, 2 12 2001. 2 13 (c) Received hazardous duty pay. 2 14 (d) Was discharged under honorable conditions. 2 15 (4) There is appropriated from the general fund of the 2 16 state to the board each fiscal year, an amount necessary to 2 17 pay for the tuition waived by a community college pursuant to 2 18 this lettered paragraph. 2 19 e. The board may designate that a portion of the tuition 2 20 moneys collected from students be used for student aid 2 21 purposes. 2 22 Sec. 2. Section 262.9, subsection 18, Code Supplement 2 23 2007, is amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 24 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. (1) Direct each institution of higher 2 25 education to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for not 2 26 more than one hundred twenty=eight semester credit hours or 2 27 eight semesters of undergraduate study, or thirty=six semester 2 28 credit hours or four semesters of postgraduate study, or the 2 29 trimester or quarter equivalent, less the amount of any fees 2 30 paid under 10 U.S.C. } 2107(c) or 38 U.S.C. } 3104(a)(7)(A), 2 31 if applicable, for a student who is a veteran. The limitation 2 32 on credit hours and semesters of study shall be applied 2 33 cumulatively within the state postsecondary education system. 2 34 The waiver shall apply only for the amount of tuition and 2 35 mandatory fee charges that exceeds the total amount of any 3 1 state and federal education benefits, grants, or scholarships 3 2 received by the veteran, including but not limited to the 3 3 federal Pell grant and the federal Montgomery GI bill. 3 4 Tuition and fees shall be waived for the veteran until the 3 5 veteran reaches the limitation on credit hours or attains an 3 6 undergraduate degree, whichever occurs first; or, if the 3 7 veteran has an undergraduate degree at the time of enrollment, 3 8 until the veteran reaches the limitation on credit hours or 3 9 attains a master's degree, whichever occurs first; or, if the 3 10 veteran has a master's degree at the time of enrollment, until 3 11 the veteran reaches the limitation on credit hours or attains 3 12 a doctorate, whichever occurs first. 3 13 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall verify that 3 14 the veteran meets the requirements of this lettered paragraph. 3 15 (3) For purposes of this lettered paragraph, "veteran" 3 16 means a resident of this state who meets all of the following 3 17 conditions: 3 18 (a) Was a resident of this state at the time of entry into 3 19 the United States armed forces, reserve forces of the United 3 20 States, or the Iowa or other state national guard and is 3 21 currently a resident of this state. 3 22 (b) Served in active federal service after September 11, 3 23 2001. 3 24 (c) Received hazardous duty pay. 3 25 (d) Was discharged under honorable conditions. 3 26 (4) There is appropriated from the general fund of the 3 27 state to the board, for each fiscal year, an amount necessary 3 28 to pay for the tuition waived by an institution pursuant to 3 29 this lettered paragraph. 3 30 EXPLANATION 3 31 This bill requires community colleges and state 3 32 universities to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for 3 33 not more than 128 semester credit hours or eight semesters, 3 34 whichever is longer, or 50 graduate or doctoral semester hours 3 35 of coursework, minus senior reserve officers' training corps 4 1 scholarship and federal veterans administration's vocational 4 2 rehabilitation and education program funds, if applicable, and 4 3 any other state and federal education benefits, grants, or 4 4 scholarships received by the veteran, including but not 4 5 limited to the federal Pell grant and the federal Montgomery 4 6 GI bill. The bill makes a standing, unlimited appropriation 4 7 to the department of education and the state board of regents 4 8 to pay for the tution waived by the institutions. 4 9 Tuition shall be waived for the veteran until the veteran 4 10 reaches the limitation on credit hours or the degree sought, 4 11 whichever occurs first. Tuition will be waived until the 4 12 veteran attains an undergraduate degree or, if the veteran has 4 13 an undergraduate degree, until attaining a master's degree, 4 14 or, if the veteran has a master's degree, until achieving a 4 15 doctorate. The limitation on credit hours and semesters of 4 16 study shall be applied cumulatively within the state 4 17 postsecondary education system. 4 18 The bill defines veteran to mean a resident of this state 4 19 who served in federal active service after September 11, 2001, 4 20 while in the United States armed forces, reserve forces of the 4 21 United States, or the Iowa or other state national guard, who 4 22 received hazardous duty pay, and who was discharged under 4 23 honorable conditions. 4 24 LSB 5509YH 82 4 25 kh/nh/5.1