S.F. 309 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 256.211A Dependent of a disabled 1 veteran tuition grant program. 2 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section: 3 a. “Commission” means the college student aid commission. 4 b. “Eligible institution” means an institution of higher 5 learning governed by the state board of regents or a community 6 college as defined in section 260C.2. 7 c. “Eligible student” means a resident of this state who 8 meets all of the following requirements: 9 (1) Was claimed by a veteran with a disability as a 10 dependent on the veteran with a disability’s internal revenue 11 service tax filing for the previous tax year 12 (2) Is less than twenty-seven years of age. 13 (3) Completes and submits application forms required by the 14 commission, including the free application for federal student 15 aid, by the deadline prescribed by the commission. 16 (4) Enrolls in an eligible institution. 17 (5) Is making satisfactory academic progress as defined by 18 the eligible institution. 19 d. “Full-time” means enrollment in at least twelve semester 20 hours or the equivalent. 21 e. “Part-time” means enrollment in at least six but less 22 than twelve semester hours or the equivalent. 23 f. “Veteran with a disability” means a resident of this 24 state who is a veteran, as defined in section 35.1, with a 25 permanent service-connected disability rating of one hundred 26 percent, as certified by the United States department of 27 veterans affairs. 28 2. Program established. A dependent of a disabled veteran 29 tuition grant program is established to be administered by 30 the commission for purposes of providing tuition grants to 31 eligible institutions in which eligible students are enrolled 32 to help such eligible students afford the costs of tuition 33 and mandatory fees associated with attending the eligible 34 institution. 35 -1- LSB 1215XS (4) 91 jda/jh 1/ 5

S.F. 309 3. Grants —— limitations and requirements. 1 a. (1) A full-time eligible student may receive a grant 2 under the dependent of a disabled veteran tuition grant program 3 annually for not more than eight semesters, or the equivalent, 4 or until the eligible student earns an associate degree or a 5 bachelor’s degree from the eligible institution, whichever 6 occurs first. 7 (2) A part-time eligible student may receive a grant under 8 the dependent of a disabled veteran tuition grant program 9 annually for not more than twelve semesters, or the equivalent, 10 on a prorated basis, or until the eligible student earns an 11 associate degree or a bachelor’s degree from the eligible 12 institution, whichever occurs first. 13 b. (1) The amount of a dependent of a disabled veteran 14 tuition grant for a full-time eligible student shall be the 15 lesser of ten thousand dollars per year or the actual cost of 16 tuition and mandatory fees charged by the eligible institution 17 to the eligible student for the applicable academic year. 18 (2) The amount of a dependent of a disabled veteran tuition 19 grant for a part-time eligible student shall be equal to the 20 amount that would be awarded to a full-time eligible student 21 except that the commission shall prorate the amount based on 22 the part-time eligible student’s semester hour or equivalent 23 enrollment. 24 c. A dependent of a disabled veteran tuition grant shall 25 be awarded on an annual basis, requiring reapplication by an 26 eligible student each year. Payments under the dependent of 27 a disabled veteran tuition grant program shall be allocated 28 equally among the semesters, or the equivalent, and paid to 29 the eligible institution upon certification by the eligible 30 institution that the student meets the requirements of 31 subsection 1, paragraph “c” . 32 d. If a grant recipient discontinues attendance before the 33 end of any semester, or the equivalent, after receiving grant 34 payments, the entire amount of any refund due that recipient, 35 -2- LSB 1215XS (4) 91 jda/jh 2/ 5

S.F. 309 up to the full amount of grant payments made during that 1 semester, or the equivalent, shall be paid by the eligible 2 institution to the commission. 3 4. Commission’s duties and responsibilities. The commission 4 shall administer the dependent of a disabled veteran tuition 5 grant program and shall do all of the following: 6 a. Provide application forms for distribution to students by 7 eligible institutions. 8 b. Adopt rules under chapter 17A for administration of 9 this section, including but not limited to establishing the 10 duties and responsibilities of eligible institutions under the 11 dependent of a disabled veteran tuition grant program; defining 12 residence and satisfactory academic progress for purposes of 13 the program; and establishing procedures for grant application, 14 processing, and approval. The rules shall require the 15 commission to award grants on a first-come, first-served basis. 16 c. Approve and award grants on an annual basis. 17 5. Fund created. A dependent of a disabled veteran tuition 18 grant program fund is created in the state treasury as a 19 separate fund under the control of the commission. All moneys 20 deposited or paid into the fund are appropriated and made 21 available to the commission to be used for scholarships awarded 22 as provided under this section. Notwithstanding section 8.33, 23 any balance in the fund on June 30 of each fiscal year shall not 24 revert to the general fund of the state, but shall be available 25 for purposes of this section in subsequent fiscal years. 26 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— DEPENDENT OF A DISABLED 27 VETERAN TUITION GRANT PROGRAM. There is appropriated from the 28 general fund of the state to the department of education for 29 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 30 2026, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, 31 to be used for the purposes designated: 32 For deposit in the dependent of a disabled veteran tuition 33 grant program fund created in section 256.211A, if enacted by 34 this Act: 35 -3- LSB 1215XS (4) 91 jda/jh 3/ 5

S.F. 309 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 500,000 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 This bill establishes the dependent of a disabled veteran 5 tuition grant program within the college student aid commission 6 (commission) for purposes of providing tuition grants to 7 eligible institutions in which eligible students are enrolled 8 to help such eligible students afford the costs of tuition 9 and mandatory fees associated with attending the eligible 10 institution. 11 The bill provides that a full-time eligible student may 12 receive a grant under the program annually for not more 13 than eight semesters, or until the eligible student earns an 14 associate degree or a bachelor’s degree from the eligible 15 institution, whichever occurs first. Additionally, the bill 16 provides that a part-time eligible student may receive a grant 17 under the program annually for not more than 12 semesters, 18 on a prorated basis, or until the eligible student earns an 19 associate degree or a bachelor’s degree from the eligible 20 institution, whichever occurs first. The bill establishes that 21 a tuition grant under the program shall be awarded on an annual 22 basis, requiring reapplication by an eligible student each 23 year. The bill requires that payments under the program be 24 allocated equally among the semesters and paid to the eligible 25 institution upon certification by the eligible institution 26 that the student meets the applicable requirements. The bill 27 provides that if a grant recipient discontinues attendance 28 before the end of any semester, after receiving grant payments, 29 the entire amount of any refund due that recipient, up to the 30 full amount of grant payments made during that semester, or the 31 equivalent, shall be paid by the eligible institution to the 32 commission. 33 The bill requires the commission to provide application 34 forms for distribution to students by eligible institutions, 35 -4- LSB 1215XS (4) 91 jda/jh 4/ 5

S.F. 309 adopt rules under Code chapter 17A for administration of the 1 program, and approve and award grants on an annual basis. 2 The commission is required to award grants on a first-come, 3 first-served basis. 4 The bill establishes a dependent of a disabled veteran 5 tuition grant program fund in the state treasury as a separate 6 fund under the control of the commission and appropriates 7 $500,000 to the department of education in FY 2025-2026 for 8 deposit in the fund. 9 The bill defines “commission”, “eligible institution”, 10 “eligible student”, “full-time”, “part-time”, and “veteran with 11 a disability”. 12 -5- LSB 1215XS (4) 91 jda/jh 5/ 5