Vermont S. 130: An act relating to miscellaneous changes to education laws

Bill Text

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S.130 1
Introduced by Senators Ram Hinsdale and Weeks 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Education; grants, scholarships, education loan programs; National 5
Guard Tuition Benefit Program 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to extend the 7
Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program to a member seeking a 8
graduate degree or a second baccalaureate degree, provided the member 9
satisfies eligibility criteria. 10
An act relating to expanding the National Guard Tuition Benefit Program 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 2857 is amended to read: 13
§ 2857. VERMONT NATIONAL GUARD TUITION BENEFIT PROGRAM 14
(a) Program creation. The Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit 15
Program (Program) is created, under which a member of the Vermont National 16
Guard (member) who meets the eligibility requirements in subsection (c) of 17
this section is entitled to the following tuition benefit for up to full-time 18
attendance: 19

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(1) For courses at any Vermont State College institution or the 1
University of Vermont and State Agricultural College (UVM), the benefit shall 2
be the in-state residence tuition rate for the relevant institution. 3
(2) For courses at any eligible Vermont private postsecondary 4
institution, the benefit shall be the in-state tuition rate charged by UVM. 5
(3) For courses at an eligible training institution offering nondegree, 6
certificate training, or continuing education programs, the benefit shall be the 7
lower of the institution’s standard tuition or the in-state tuition rate charged by 8
UVM. 9
(4) For courses at a non-Vermont approved postsecondary education 10
institution approved for federal Title IV funding where the degree program is 11
not available in Vermont, the benefit shall be the in-state tuition rate charged 12
by UVM. 13
(b) Tuition benefit. 14
(1) The tuition benefit provided under the Program shall be paid on 15
behalf of the member by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation 16
(VSAC), subject to the appropriation of funds by the General Assembly 17
specifically for this purpose. An eligible Vermont postsecondary institution 18
that accepts or receives the tuition benefit on behalf of a member shall charge 19
the member the tuition rate for an in-state student. The amount of tuition for a 20
member who attends an educational institution under the Program on less than 21

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a full-time basis shall be reduced to reflect the member’s course load in a 1
manner determined by VSAC under subdivision (f)(1) of this section. 2
(2) The tuition benefit shall be conditioned upon the member’s 3
executing a promissory note obligating the member to repay the member’s 4
tuition benefit, in whole or in part, if the member fails to complete the period 5
of Vermont National Guard service required in subsection (d) of this section, 6
or if the member’s benefit is terminated pursuant to subdivision (e)(1) of this 7
section. If the member is pursuing a graduate degree under the Program, the 8
member shall agree in the promissory note to, upon receipt of the graduate 9
degree and until the individual’s service commitment under subsection (d) of 10
this section is satisfied, be employed full time in Vermont or, if unemployed, 11
be actively seeking full-time employment in Vermont. 12
(c) Eligibility. 13
(1) To be eligible for the Program, an individual, whether a resident or 14
nonresident, shall satisfy all of the following requirements: 15
(A) be an active member of the Vermont National Guard; 16
(B) have successfully completed basic training; 17
(C) be enrolled at UVM, a Vermont State College, or any other 18
college or university located in Vermont in a program that leads to an 19
undergraduate certificate or, a baccalaureate degree, or a graduate degree, or at 20

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an eligible training institution in a program that leads to a certificate or other 1
credential recognized by VSAC; 2
(D) have not previously earned an undergraduate bachelor’s degree 3
that was funded under the Program or any other State funding source 4
designated exclusively for members of the Vermont National Guard; 5
(E) continually demonstrate satisfactory academic progress as 6
determined by criteria established by the Vermont National Guard and VSAC, 7
in consultation with the educational institution at which the individual is 8
enrolled under the Program; 9
(F) have used available post-September 11, 2001 tuition benefits and 10
other federally funded military tuition assistance; provided, however, that this 11
subdivision shall not apply to: 12
(i) tuition benefits and other federally funded military tuition 13
assistance for which the individual has not yet earned the full amo