Senate File 2067 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY BEALL, HECKROTH, SENG,
OLIVE, HATCH, DEARDEN, APPEL,
COURTNEY, KIBBIE, BLACK,
FRAISE, McCOY, CONNOLLY,
STEWART, RAGAN, and SCHMITZ
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, 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.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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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 a student who is a veteran if the student
1 26 registers for an open class and the class does not reach its
1 27 maximum enrollment capacity prior to the class enrollment
1 28 deadline. If the class is underenrolled and would be canceled
1 29 if the student was not enrolled, the community college may
1 30 cancel the class. The waiver shall apply only for the amount
1 31 of tuition and mandatory fee charges that exceeds the total
1 32 amount of any state and federal education benefits, grants, or
1 33 scholarships received by the veteran, including but not
1 34 limited to the federal Pell grant and the federal Montgomery
1 35 GI bill.
2 1 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall verify that
2 2 the veteran meets the requirements of this lettered paragraph.
2 3 (3) For purposes of this lettered paragraph, "veteran"
2 4 means a resident of this state who is or was a member of the
2 5 national guard, reserve, or regular component of the armed
2 6 forces of the United States who has served on active duty at
2 7 any time after September 11, 2001, and, if discharged, was
2 8 discharged under honorable conditions.
2 9 e. The board may designate that a portion of the tuition
2 10 moneys collected from students be used for student aid
2 11 purposes.
2 12 Sec. 2. Section 262.9, subsection 18, Code Supplement
2 13 2007, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
2 14 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. (1) Direct each institution of higher
2 15 education to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for a
2 16 student who is a veteran if the student registers for an open
2 17 class and the class does not reach its maximum enrollment
2 18 capacity prior to the class enrollment deadline. If the class
2 19 is underenrolled and would be canceled if the student was not
2 20 enrolled, the institution may cancel the class. The waiver
2 21 shall apply only for the amount of tuition and mandatory fee
2 22 charges that exceeds the total amount of any state and federal
2 23 education benefits, grants, or scholarships received by the
2 24 veteran, including but not limited to the federal Pell grant
2 25 and the federal Montgomery GI bill.
2 26 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall verify that
2 27 the veteran meets the requirements of this lettered paragraph.
2 28 (3) For purposes of this lettered paragraph, "veteran"
2 29 means a resident of this state who is or was a member of the
2 30 national guard, reserve, or regular component of the armed
2 31 forces of the United States who has served on active duty at
2 32 any time after September 11, 2001, and, if discharged, was
2 33 discharged under honorable conditions.
2 34 EXPLANATION
2 35 This bill requires community colleges and state
3 1 universities to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for a
3 2 student who is a veteran if the student registers for an open
3 3 class and the class does not reach its maximum enrollment
3 4 capacity prior to the class enrollment deadline. If the class
3 5 is underenrolled and would be canceled if the student was not
3 6 enrolled, the institution may cancel the class.
3 7 The waiver shall apply only for the amount of tuition and
3 8 mandatory fee charges that exceeds the total amount of any
3 9 state and federal education benefits, grants, or scholarships
3 10 received by the veteran, including but not limited to the
3 11 federal Pell grant and the federal Montgomery GI bill.
3 12 The bill defines "veteran" to mean a resident who is or was
3 13 a member of the national guard, reserve, or regular component
3 14 of the armed forces of the United States who has served on
3 15 active duty at any time after September 11, 2001, and, if
3 16 discharged, was discharged under honorable conditions. The
3 17 department of veterans affairs is directed to verify that the
3 18 veteran meets these requirements.
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