Senate Study Bill 1041
SENATE FILE
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
VETERANS AFFAIRS BILL
BY CHAIRPERSON BEALL)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act creating an undergraduate educational assistance grant
2 program for veterans.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 1279SC 83
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 261.26 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL
1 2 ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM.
1 3 1. DEFINITIONS. As used in this section, unless the
1 4 context otherwise requires:
1 5 a. "Eligible institution" means a community college
1 6 established under chapter 260C, an accredited private
1 7 institution, or an institution of higher learning governed by
1 8 the state board of regents.
1 9 b. "Qualified student" means a veteran who meets the
1 10 requirements set forth in subsection 2.
1 11 c. "Veteran" means a resident of this state who meets all
1 12 of the following conditions:
1 13 (1) Was a resident of this state at the time of entry into
1 14 the United States armed forces, reserve forces of the United
1 15 States, or the Iowa or other state national guard; and is
1 16 currently a resident of this state.
1 17 (2) Served in active federal service after September 11,
1 18 2001.
1 19 (3) Received hazardous duty pay.
1 20 (4) Was discharged under honorable conditions.
1 21 (5) Has exhausted any entitlement to educational
1 22 assistance under the federal Montgomery G.I. bill.
1 23 2. PROGRAM == ELIGIBILITY. A veterans educational
1 24 assistance grant program is established to be administered by
1 25 the commission. The awarding of grants under the program is
1 26 subject to appropriations made by the general assembly. A
1 27 veteran who meets all of the following requirements is
1 28 eligible for a grant under the program:
1 29 a. Applies in a timely manner for admission to an eligible
1 30 institution and is accepted for admission.
1 31 b. Applies in a timely manner for any federal or state
1 32 student financial assistance available to the veteran to
1 33 attend an eligible institution.
1 34 c. Files a new application and submits any information
1 35 required by the commission annually on the basis of which the
2 1 applicant's eligibility for a renewed grant will be evaluated
2 2 and determined.
2 3 d. Maintains satisfactory academic progress during each
2 4 term for which a grant is awarded.
2 5 e. Is employed in this state for wages by an employer.
2 6 3. EXTENT OF GRANT.
2 7 a. A qualified student at an eligible institution,
2 8 attending full=time or part=time, may receive grants under
2 9 this section for not more than the equivalent of one hundred
2 10 twenty=eight semester credit hours of undergraduate study or
2 11 thirty=six semester credit hours of postgraduate study, or the
2 12 trimester or quarter equivalent, less the amount of any moneys
2 13 paid under 10 U.S.C. } 2107(c) or 38 U.S.C. } 3104(a)(7)(A),
2 14 if applicable, for a student who is a veteran. However, a
2 15 veteran who attains an undergraduate degree utilizing funds
2 16 awarded pursuant to this section for more than sixty=four
2 17 semester credit hours of undergraduate study is ineligible for
2 18 a grant for postgraduate study under this section.
2 19 b. Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall not
2 20 exceed the student's financial need, as determined by the
2 21 commission, the average resident tuition rate and mandatory
2 22 fees established for institutions of higher learning governed
2 23 by the state board of regents, or the resident tuition and
2 24 mandatory fees charged for the program of enrollment by the
2 25 eligible institution at which the student is enrolled,
2 26 whichever is less.
2 27 4. TIMELY PROCESSING OF INFORMATION. The department of
2 28 veterans affairs shall work with the commission to ensure that
2 29 information regarding a veteran's status or entitlement to
2 30 federal educational assistance, required to establish
2 31 eligibility for a grant pursuant to this section, is processed
2 32 on a timely basis.
2 33 5. DISCONTINUANCE OF ATTENDANCE == REMITTANCE. If a
2 34 student receiving a grant pursuant to this section
2 35 discontinues attendance before the end of any academic term,
3 1 the entire amount of any refund due to the student, up to the
3 2 amount of any payments made by the state, shall be remitted by
3 3 the eligible institution to the commission. The commission
3 4 shall deposit refunds paid to the commission in accordance
3 5 with this subsection into the fund established pursuant to
3 6 subsection 6.
3 7 6. FUND ESTABLISHED. A veterans educational assistance
3 8 grant fund is created in the state treasury as a separate fund
3 9 under the control of the commission. All moneys deposited or
3 10 paid into the fund are appropriated and made available to the
3 11 commission to be used for grants for qualified students
3 12 pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any
3 13 balance in the fund on June 30 of each fiscal year shall not
3 14 revert to the general fund of the state, but shall be
3 15 available for purposes of this section in subsequent fiscal
3 16 years.
3 17 7. RULES. The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to
3 18 chapter 17A to administer this section.
3 19 EXPLANATION
3 20 This bill establishes a veterans educational assistance
3 21 grant program to be administered by the college student aid
3 22 commission to provide educational assistance to veterans who
3 23 reside, and are employed, in Iowa. The awarding of grants is
3 24 subject to appropriations made by the general assembly.
3 25 Grants awarded may be used by a qualified veteran to attend
3 26 a community college, accredited private institution, or
3 27 regents university. To be eligible for the program, the
3 28 veteran must be a resident and must have been a resident at
3 29 the time of entry into the United States armed forces, reserve
3 30 forces of the United States, or the Iowa or other state
3 31 national guard; have served in active federal service after
3 32 September 11, 2001; received hazardous duty pay; been
3 33 discharged under honorable conditions; and exhausted
3 34 entitlement to federal educational assistance under the
3 35 Montgomery G.I. bill.
4 1 A qualified veteran may receive grants for full=time or
4 2 part=time attendance for not more than 128 semester credit
4 3 hours of undergraduate study or 36 semester credit hours of
4 4 postgraduate study, minus assistance from the senior reserve
4 5 officers' training corps scholarship and federal veterans
4 6 administration's vocational rehabilitation and education
4 7 program funds, if applicable. However, a veteran who attained
4 8 an undergraduate degree using program grant funds for more
4 9 than 64 semester credit hours of undergraduate study is
4 10 ineligible for a grant for postgraduate study.
4 11 Grants shall not exceed the student's financial need, the
4 12 average resident tuition rate and mandatory fees established
4 13 for regents universities, or the resident tuition and
4 14 mandatory fees charged for the program of enrollment by the
4 15 eligible institution at which the student is enrolled,
4 16 whichever is less.
4 17 The department of veterans affairs is directed to work with
4 18 the commission to ensure that information regarding a
4 19 veteran's status or entitlement to federal military
4 20 educational assistance, which is required to establish
4 21 eligibility for a grant, is processed on a timely basis.
4 22 If a student receiving a grant discontinues attendance, the
4 23 entire amount of any refund due to the student, up to the
4 24 amount of any payments made by the state, must be remitted by
4 25 the eligible institution to the commission. The commission
4 26 shall deposit refunds into the veterans educational assistance
4 27 grant fund, which the bill creates in the state treasury.
4 28 Moneys in the fund are appropriated and made available to the
4 29 commission to allow it to issue more grants to qualified
4 30 veterans.
4 31 LSB 1279SC 83
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