SENATE BILL NO. 1375 December 2, 1998, Introduced by Senator STILLE and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. A bill to provide for a waiver of tuition at a college or university in this state for Michigan national guard members; to prescribe duties for certain state officials; and to provide for an appropriation. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 2 "Michigan national guard education incentive act". 3 Sec. 2. As used in this act: 4 (a) "Adjutant general" means the adjutant general of this 5 state. 6 (b) "Eligible person" means a member of the Michigan 7 national guard including the air national guard who is in active 8 status. Eligible person does not include a member of the 9 Michigan national guard or air national guard who is absent 10 without leave or who is under charges as described in the 06863'98 JJG 2 1 Michigan code of military justice of 1980, 1980 PA 523, MCL 2 32.1001 to 32.1148. 3 (c) "Fund" means the Michigan national guard tuition waiver 4 fund created in section 4. 5 (d) "Tuition" means the cost of a course of study at a 6 public or private college or university located in this state. 7 Tuition does not include the cost of books, study materials, or 8 other fees assessed to students by the college or university. 9 (e) "Tuition waiver program" means the Michigan national 10 guard tuition waiver program created in section 3. 11 Sec. 3. (1) The Michigan national guard tuition waiver pro- 12 gram is created within the department of military and veterans 13 affairs. 14 (2) The adjutant general shall administer the tuition waiver 15 program and prescribe forms and procedures to effectively carry 16 out the tuition waiver program. 17 (3) A college or university enrolling an eligible person as 18 a part-time or full-time student shall waive the eligible 19 person's tuition up to an amount not to exceed $2,000.00 for each 20 academic year if the eligible person provides a copy of an 21 approved application as required under subsection (5). A college 22 or university that waives the tuition for an eligible person is 23 eligible for reimbursement from the fund of an amount equal to 24 the amount waived not to exceed $2,000.00 in any academic year. 25 Application for reimbursement under this subsection shall be made 26 in a manner prescribed by the adjutant general. 06863'98 3 1 (4) An eligible person may apply to the adjutant general for 2 a tuition waiver. The adjutant general shall approve the 3 application if the applicant meets the definition of an eligible 4 person under section 2 and if there is sufficient money in the 5 fund to cover the cost of the amount requested on the 6 application. 7 (5) An eligible person applying for a tuition waiver under 8 subsection (4) at a college or university shall provide a copy of 9 an approved application while registering for the course of study 10 at the college or university. 11 (6) If an eligible person has enrolled in a college or uni- 12 versity located in this state and has not applied for and 13 received a tuition waiver, the eligible person may apply for 14 reimbursement for the full amount of the tuition paid to the col- 15 lege or university not to exceed $2,000.00 in any academic year. 16 The application shall include evidence of completion of the 17 course of study in a manner prescribed by the adjutant general. 18 (7) The tuition waiver program applies to any course of 19 instruction that is included in a degree program offered by a 20 college or university. 21 (8) The tuition waiver program applies to an eligible person 22 notwithstanding any other educational incentive or benefit 23 received by the eligible person under any other educational 24 assistance program provided by any other law. 25 (9) Upon completion of a course of study, an eligible person 26 who successfully applied for and received a tuition waiver under 27 subsection (4) shall provide evidence of attendance and 06863'98 4 1 completion of the course of study in a manner prescribed by the 2 adjutant general. 3 (10) An eligible person who received a tuition waiver under 4 subsection (4) or who received reimbursement for the cost of 5 tuition under subsection (6) and who did not complete the course 6 of study for which it was granted shall reimburse the fund the 7 full amount waived or received in a manner prescribed by the 8 adjutant general. 9 Sec. 4. (1) The Michigan national guard tuition waiver fund 10 is created within the state treasury. 11 (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets 12 from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer 13 shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer 14 shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from the fund. 15 (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall 16 remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund. 17 (4) The adjutant general shall expend money from the fund 18 for either of the following: 19 (a) To reimburse a college or university in this state that 20 has waived tuition under section 3(3). 21 (b) To reimburse an eligible person for the cost of tuition 22 paid to a college or university under section 3(6) for a course 23 of study completed by the eligible person. 24 Sec. 5. The legislature shall appropriate $2,000,000.00 to 25 the fund for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 1999. 06863'98 Final page. JJG