Bill Text: AZ HB2240 | 2015 | Fifty-second Legislature 1st Regular | Chaptered
Bill Title: National guard members; tuition waivers
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-10 - Chapter 304 [HB2240 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2015-HB2240-Chaptered.html
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Senate Engrossed House Bill |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-second Legislature First Regular Session 2015
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CHAPTER 304
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HOUSE BILL 2240 |
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AN ACT
repealing section 26‑179, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending Title 26, chapter 1, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding a new section 26‑179; relating to the NATIONAL guard.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Repeal
Section 26-179, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed.
Sec. 2. Title 26, chapter 1, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section 26-179, to read:
26-179. Tuition waiver; eligibility; reimbursement for failed courses
A. Any member of the Arizona national guard may attend regularly scheduled courses at any public institution of higher education in this state toward the completion of a bachelor's degree or a master's degree and receive up to sixteen credits per semester tuition-free, with a maximum of one hundred twenty credits total for a bachelor's degree and thirty-three credits total for a master's degree, if the member meets all of the following conditions:
1. Has completed initial active duty training and, except as otherwise provided in subsection B of this section, is in good standing as an active member of the Arizona national guard.
2. Has been accepted to pursue a course of undergraduate study and is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at that institution or has been accepted to pursue a course of graduate study and is enrolled as a graduate student in good standing at that institution.
3. Has applied for tuition benefits that are available through the United States department of veterans affairs and the United States department of defense and for which the member is eligible.
4. When beginning active duty status in the United States armed forces, either:
(a) Is a resident of this state.
(b) Entered the United States armed forces in this state.
(c) Designated this state as the member's home of record.
5. Is not entitled to full benefits under 38 United States Code sections 3100 through 3122 or sections 3301 through 3325.
6. Is in compliance with the grade point requirements and excessive credit hour requirements for a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution of higher education's academic progress policy and financial aid policy.
B. Any member of the Arizona national guard whose enrollment in a public institution of higher education on a tuition-free basis pursuant to subsection A of this section is interrupted by a deployment to active duty may receive the tuition benefit after discharge from service under conditions other than dishonorable. In the event of a nonmedical discharge or a medical discharge that is not caused by an illness or injury related to the performance of duties for the national guard, the member's eligibility for the tuition benefit begins from the date of discharge and continues for one semester or a period of time equal to the length of the deployment, whichever is longer. In the event of medical discharge or medical retirement as a result of illness or injury incurred while on federal orders and deployed in support of overseas contingency operations, as a result of terrorist action or in response to a natural disaster, the member's eligibility for the tuition benefit begins from the date of discharge or retirement and continues until completion of the degree program in which the member is enrolled or for five years, whichever occurs first.
C. Any member of the Arizona national guard whose enrollment in a public institution of higher education on a tuition-free basis pursuant to subsection A of this section who fails any course for which tuition was waived shall pay for those credits in full.
D. A member of the Arizona national guard may attend a course tuition‑free pursuant to this section only if monies are available that offset the entirety of the costs incurred by the public institutions of higher education as a result of the tuition waivers described in this section. The monies used to offset the costs of the tuition waivers may be private donations, grants, bequests and any other monies received for that specific purpose and shall not be the basic operating monies of the public institutions of higher education described in this section.
Sec. 3. Effective date
This act is effective beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year.
Sec. 4. Conditional enactment; notice
A. This act does not become effective unless monies are available in fiscal year 2017-2018 that are sufficient to reimburse the public institutions of higher education in this state for the cost of tuition for the credits taken pursuant to section 26-179, Arizona Revised Statutes.
B. The president of the Arizona board of regents shall notify in writing the director of the Arizona legislative council of the date on which the condition is met or if the condition is not met.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 10, 2015.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 14, 2015.
