February 17, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Vagnozzi, Sheltrown, Spade, Kathleen Law, Zelenko, Angerer, Lemmons, Jr., Clack, McConico, Hunter, Tobocman, Donigan, Bieda, Meisner, Sak and Gleason and referred to the Committee on Higher Education and Career Preparation.
A bill to establish an undergraduate tuition waiver program
for certain qualified veterans of the armed forces of the United
States; to provide for the administration of the tuition waiver
program; and to prescribe certain powers and duties of certain
state officers, agencies, and departments.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"veterans tuition waiver act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Academic year" means the period from August 1 of a
calendar year to July 31 of the next calendar year.
(b) "Authority" means the Michigan higher education assistance
authority created by 1960 PA 77, MCL 390.951 to 390.961.
(c) "Eligible institution" means a degree- or certificate-
granting public or independent nonprofit college or university,
junior college, or community college in this state.
(d) "Eligible tuition" means the tuition charged by an
eligible institution for an undergraduate class.
(e) "Full-time" means enrolled in at least 12 credit hours in
an academic semester or the equivalent number of credit hours in a
term or quarter, as determined by the authority.
(f) "Qualified veteran" means an individual who meets all of
the following:
(i) Either his or her legal residence immediately before
entering military service was in this state and he or she did not
later reside outside of this state for a period of more than 2
years or he or she established legal residency in this state after
entering military service.
(ii) He or she served as a member of any branch of the armed
forces of the United States and received an honorable discharge or
a discharge for physical reasons with an honorable record.
(iii) His or her military service included service in the
Persian Gulf combat zone as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom or in
southern or central Asia as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
(g) "Undergraduate classes" means classes or courses that
provide a student with academic credit applicable toward a
bachelor's or associate's degree from an eligible institution.
Sec. 3. The veterans tuition waiver program is created, to be
administered by the authority. The authority shall do all of the
following:
(a) Provide tuition waivers at eligible institutions for
qualified veterans under this act.
(b) Develop a tuition waiver agreement to be entered into by a
tuition waiver recipient and the eligible institution that contains
the terms of a tuition waiver made under this act and the rights
and obligations of the recipient and the eligible institution.
(c) Promulgate rules to implement and administer this act
under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL
24.201 to 24.328. The rules may include additional standards of
eligibility for qualified veterans to receive tuition waivers under
this act.
Sec. 4. (1) Beginning in the 2006-2007 academic year, an
eligible institution that agrees to participate in the tuition
waiver program established by this act shall waive tuition in an
amount determined under subsection (2) for any qualified veteran
who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Is enrolled in that academic year as a full-time student
in undergraduate classes at an eligible institution.
(b) Is a United States citizen or permanent resident of the
United States.
(c) Is less than 60 years of age.
(d) Has resided continuously in this state for the 12 months
immediately preceding the date of his or her application and is not
a resident of any other state.
(e) Has maintained a cumulative grade point average of at
least 2.25 in any undergraduate classes he or she completed at any
eligible institution in any previous academic years.
(f) Has signed a written tuition waiver agreement with the
eligible institution.
(g) Is in compliance with this act and the rules promulgated
under this act.
(h) Has not been convicted of a felony involving an assault,
physical injury, or death.
(i) Meets any other standards established in rules promulgated
by the authority under section 3.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the amount of a
tuition waiver described in subsection (1) in an academic year is
$2,500.00 or an amount equal to all of the qualified veteran's
eligible tuition in that academic year, whichever is less.
(3) A qualified veteran shall not receive tuition waiver
assistance under this act in more than 4 academic years.
Sec. 5. (1) Beginning in the 2006-2007 academic year, within
60 days after the end of an academic year, an eligible institution
shall apply to the authority for reimbursement of tuition waived
under this act in that academic year. The application shall
include the total number of qualified veterans whose tuition was
waived; the total amount of reimbursement requested by the eligible
institution; and an itemization of the waivers that includes the
name of each qualified veteran receiving a tuition waiver, the
amount of that waiver, the qualified veteran's grade point average
for the academic year, the qualified veteran's cumulative grade
point average, the qualified veteran's transcript for the academic
year, and a certification that the qualified veteran meets the
eligibility requirements for tuition reimbursement under this act
in the amount requested by the eligible institution.
(2) The authority shall verify the amount of reimbursement to
which an eligible institution is entitled and report that
information to the house and senate appropriation subcommittees on
higher education and community colleges.
(3) The legislature shall appropriate money for reimbursement
to the eligible institution if the institution receives annual
appropriations from this state or to the authority for distribution
to the eligible institution if the institution does not receive
annual appropriations from this state. Money appropriated under
this subsection shall be used only for tuition waivers under this
act.