SF 2274 (LSB 5248SV (3) 83)

SENATE FILE 2274

BY  COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2105)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to certain national security and military education benefits and programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 260C.14, subsection 14, paragraph b, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (b), Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   (b)  “Qualified military person” means a person on active duty in the military service of the United States who is stationed in this state or at the Rock Island arsenal. If the qualified military person is transferred, deployed, or restationed while the person’s spouse or child is enrolled in the community college, the spouse or child shall continue to be classified as a resident until the close of the fiscal year in which the spouse or child is enrolled.
    Sec. 2.  Section 260C.14, subsection 14, paragraph b, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (c), subparagraph subdivision (ii), Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   (ii)  Is domiciled Has resided in this state at least one year or sufficient time to have filed an Iowa tax return in the preceding twelve months.
    Sec. 3.  Section 260C.14, subsection 20, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   Adopt a policy to offer not less than the following options to a student who is a member, or the spouse of a member if the member has a dependent child as defined in subsection 14, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (a), of the Iowa national guard or reserve forces of the United States and who is ordered to state military service or federal service or duty:
    Sec. 4.  Section 262.9, subsection 17, paragraph b, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (b), Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   (b)  “Qualified military person” means a person on active duty in the military service of the United States who is stationed in this state or at the Rock Island arsenal. If the qualified military person is transferred, deployed, or restationed while the person’s spouse or child is enrolled in an institution of higher education under the control of the board, the spouse or child shall continue to be classified as a resident until the close of the fiscal year in which the spouse or child is enrolled.
    Sec. 5.  Section 262.9, subsection 17, paragraph b, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (c), subparagraph subdivision (ii), Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   (ii)  Is domiciled Has resided in this state at least one year or sufficient time to have filed an Iowa tax return in the preceding twelve months.
    Sec. 6.  Section 262.9, subsection 30, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   Direct the institutions of higher education under its control to adopt a policy to offer not less than the following options to a student who is a member, or the spouse of a member if the member has a dependent child as defined in subsection 17, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (a), of the Iowa national guard or reserve forces of the United States and who is ordered to state military service or federal service or duty:
    Sec. 7.  Section 272.8, Code 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   272.8  License to applicants from other states or countries.
   1.  The board may issue a license to an applicant from another state or country if the applicant files evidence of the possession of the required or equivalent requirements with the board.  If the applicant is the spouse of a military person who is on duty or in active state duty as defined in section 29A.1, subsections 9 and 11, the board shall assign a consultant to be the single point of contact for the applicant regarding nontraditional licensure.
   2.  The executive director of the board may, subject to board approval, enter into reciprocity agreements with another state or country for the licensing of practitioners on an equitable basis of mutual exchange, when the action is in conformity with law.
   3.  Practitioner preparation and professional development programs offered in this state by out-of-state institutions must be approved by the board in order to fulfill requirements for licensure or renewal of a license by an applicant.
    Sec. 8.  NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM WORKING GROUP.  The department of education, in collaboration with the state board of regents, shall convene a working group that includes but is not limited to representatives of the business community of this state, to explore the possibility of securing the cooperation and assistance of the United States department of defense, the national defense university, and the national security education board to participate in the federal national security education program and establish a foreign language road map, flagship program, and timeline in this state for K-16 and graduate-level students. The working group also shall study the feasibility, including but not limited to the costs, of establishing the road map, program, and timeline, and shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by January 15, 2011.
    Sec. 9.  DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS —— VETERANS AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN POSTSECONDARY UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION BENEFITS STUDY.  The department of veterans affairs shall conduct a study, in collaboration with the state board of regents and the department of education and other postsecondary stakeholders as determined by the department of veterans affairs, of the need to provide greater postsecondary undergraduate education benefits for veterans and their dependents, including but not limited to dependent children of service-connected disabled veterans. The study shall include a review of current federal education benefits for veterans and their dependents, cost and participation estimates, and a review of educational benefits currently provided to veterans and their dependents by other states throughout the country. The department of veterans affairs shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2010.
EXPLANATION
   This bill provides education-related benefits for military persons and veterans, and certain registration, tuition, and fee options for postsecondary students who are spouses of guard members or reservists ordered to service. The bill also directs the department of education to work with the state board of regents to convene a working group to explore the possibility of participating in a federal program whose goal is to build a broad pool of internationally competent individuals who are available for recruitment into the federal national security community, and directs the department of veterans affairs to conduct a study of the need to provide greater undergraduate benefits for veterans and their dependents.
   The bill provides for in-state tuition for military personnel stationed in Iowa and for veterans who have resided in Iowa at least one year or sufficient time to have filed an Iowa tax return in the preceding twelve months.
   The bill directs the boards of directors of community colleges and the state board of regents to provide students who are spouses of members of the Iowa national guard or the reserve forces of the United States, who are ordered to state military service or federal service or duty, with the same options currently offered to the members, which are to withdraw and receive a full refund of tuition and mandatory fees or to make arrangements for some or all course grades or incompletes, with refunds only paid for courses for which arrangements could not be made for grades or incompletes.
   The bill directs the board of educational examiners to assign a consultant to be the single point of contact for an applicant who is licensed by another state or country and who is the spouse of a military person who is on duty or in active state duty.
   The bill directs the department of education, in collaboration with the state board of regents, to convene a working group that includes representatives of the business community, to explore the possibility of securing the cooperation and assistance of the United States department of defense, the national defense university, and the national security education board to participate in the federal national security education program and establish a foreign language road map, flagship program, and timeline in this state for K-16 and graduate-level students. The working group must submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by January 15, 2011.
   The department of veterans affairs is also directed to conduct a study, in collaboration with the state board of regents, the department of education, and other postsecondary stakeholders as determined by the department of veterans affairs, of the need to provide greater undergraduate education benefits for veterans and their dependents, including but not limited to dependent children of service-connected disabled veterans. The study shall include a review of current federal education benefits for veterans and their dependents, cost and participation estimates, and a review of educational benefits currently provided to veterans and their dependents by other states. The department of veterans affairs must submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2010.