Alabama 2022 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB311 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 HB311
2	2	2 217156-1
3	3	3 By Representative Lovvorn
4	4	4 RFD: Ways and Means Education
5	5	5 First Read: 08-FEB-22
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7	7	Page 0 1 217156-1:n:02/07/2022:KMS*/cr LSA2022-565
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14	14	8 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, the Alabama G.I. and
15	15	9 Dependents' Educational Benefit Act provides
16	16	10 scholarship benefits for postsecondary education to
17	17	11 the dependents of veterans based on certain
18	18	12 conditions.
19	19	13 This bill would provide that the scholarship
20	20	14 benefits are provided for instruction at any public
21	21	15 or private two-year or four-year institution of
22	22	16 higher education that is physically located in the
23	23	17 state and receives state funds.
24	24	18 This bill would also remove an obsolete
25	25	19 program that allows certain veterans to take
26	26	20 correspondence courses.
27	27	21
28	28	22 A BILL
29	29	23 TO BE ENTITLED
30	30	24 AN ACT
31	31	25
32	32	26 Relating to the Alabama G.I. and Dependents'
33	33	27 Educational Benefit Act; to amend Sections 31-6-2, as amended
34	34	Page 1 1 by Act 2021-444, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-2.1, as added by
35	35	2 Act 2021-444, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-3, 31-6-4, as amended
36	36	3 by Act 2021-84, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-5, 31-6-6, 31-6-9,
37	37	4 31-6-11, 31-6-12, 31-6-13, 31-6-14, 31-6-15, 31-6-15.1, and
38	38	5 31-6-16, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that scholarship
39	39	6 benefits may be used for instruction at any public or private
40	40	7 two-year or four-year institution of higher education located
41	41	8 in the state that receives state funds; to remove an obsolete
42	42	9 correspondence course benefit; to make nonsubstantive,
43	43	10 technical revisions to update the existing code language to
44	44	11 current style; and to repeal Section 31-6-8, Code of Alabama
45	45	12 1975, relating to Alabama G.I. Scholarships.
46	46	13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
47	47	14 Section 1. Sections 31-6-2, as amended by Act
48	48	15 2021-444, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-2.1, as added by Act
49	49	16 2021-444, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-3, 31-6-4, as amended by
50	50	17 Act 2021-84, 2021 Regular Session, 31-6-5, 31-6-6, 31-6-9,
51	51	18 31-6-11, 31-6-12, 31-6-13, 31-6-14, 31-6-15, 31-6-15.1, and
52	52	19 31-6-16 of the Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as
53	53	20 follows:
54	54	21 "§31-6-2.
55	55	22 "For the purposes of this chapter, the following
56	56	23 terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them by this
57	57	24 section:
58	58	25 "(1) ARMED FORCES. The term includes Includes the
59	59	26 United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Space
60	60	27 Force, and Coast Guard. The term also includes the units of
61	61	Page 2 1 those branches of the services having women troops and the
62	62	2 Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Nurse Corps.
63	63	3 "(2) COMPREHENSIVE TRANSITION AND POSTSECONDARY
64	64	4 PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. Has the
65	65	5 same meaning as in 20 U.S.C. § 1140.
66	66	6 "(3) HUSBAND. Spouse.
67	67	7 "(3) QUALIFYING PRIVATE SCHOOL. Any regionally
68	68	8 accredited private two-year or four-year institution of higher
69	69	9 education physically located in the state that receives a
70	70	10 direct appropriation from the state or whose resident students
71	71	11 may receive appropriations from the state through the Alabama
72	72	12 Student Grant Program.
73	73	13 "(4) QUALIFYING SCHOOL. An institution which is
74	74	14 either a qualifying state school or a qualifying private
75	75	15 school as defined by this chapter.
76	76	16 "(5) QUALIFYING STATE SCHOOL. An Alabama public
77	77	17 two-year or four-year institution of higher education.
78	78	18 "(6) SPOUSE. Husband or wife.
79	79	19 "(4)(7) TUITION. Fees for instruction.
80	80	20 "(5)(8) TUITION AND FEES. All fees known and classed
81	81	21 as instructional fees.
82	82	22 "(6)(9) WIDOW or WIDOWER. An individual whose spouse
83	83	23 is deceased and who has not remarried.
84	84	24 "(7) WIFE. Spouse.
85	85	25 "§31-6-2.1.
86	86	26 "For the purposes of this chapter, in addition to
87	87	27 any other benefits granted under this chapter, any child of a
88	88	Page 3 1 disabled or deceased veteran or otherwise eligible for
89	89	2 educational benefits under this chapter who is admitted to
90	90	3 attend and attends a comprehensive transition and
91	91	4 postsecondary program for students with intellectual
92	92	5 disabilities at a state four-year college or university
93	93	6 institution of higher education shall be eligible to receive
94	94	7 benefits equal to the benefits provided pursuant to this
95	95	8 chapter to any other child eligible for educational benefits
96	96	9 in an undergraduate course of study at a state four-year
97	97	10 college or university institution of higher education under
98	98	11 this chapter without regard as to whether the program is a
99	99	12 degree, certificate, or non-degree program.
100	100	13 "§31-6-3.
101	101	14 "Tuition benefits received pursuant to Sections
102	102	15 31-6-4 through 31-6-6 shall be called "Alabama G.I.
103	103	16 Dependents' Scholarships." Tuition benefits received under
104	104	17 Section 31-6-8 shall be called "Alabama G.I. Scholarships."
105	105	18 "§31-6-4.
106	106	19 "(a) Any child whose father or mother:
107	107	20 "(1) Was killed or died in line of duty or is listed
108	108	21 as missing in action or is/was a prisoner of war or whose
109	109	22 death or permanent total disabilities were service-connected
110	110	23 while serving as a member of the armed forces;
111	111	24 "(2) Died from a disability incurred from military
112	112	25 service, as established by the State Department of Veterans'
113	113	26 Affairs, after having been discharged under conditions other
114	114	27 than dishonorable and after having served at least 90 days
115	115	Page 4 1 consecutively in the armed forces prior to and/or subsequent
116	116	2 to the date on which the disability occurred, or who was
117	117	3 honorably discharged by reason of wartime, a qualifying
118	118	4 service-connected disability after serving less than 90 days;
119	119	5 "(3) Was killed or died while on state active duty
120	120	6 status as defined in Section 31-12-1, or whose death results
121	121	7 proximately and within three years from an injury received
122	122	8 while on state active duty status; or
123	123	9 "(4) Has been assigned 100 percent permanent or
124	124	10 total disability rated by the United States Veterans'
125	125	11 Administration, or was discharged or retired from the armed
126	126	12 forces with a 40 percent or more disability and maintained
127	127	13 that percentage (such person to be deemed to be a disabled
128	128	14 veteran); may attend any Alabama state institution of higher
129	129	15 learning, college, or university qualifying school for a
130	130	16 period of five standard academic years, not to exceed 45
131	131	17 months or the equivalent of 45 months if enrolled part-time,
132	132	18 pursuant to the tuition reimbursement guidelines as provided
133	133	19 in subsection (c) for such college or university attendance,
134	134	20 or any such child may take a prescribed course in any Alabama
135	135	21 state-supported community or technical college for the length
136	136	22 of any prescribed course of study of his or her choosing, and
137	137	23 if such course does not require the full 45 months, then
138	138	24 training for the remainder of the 45 months' entitlement may
139	139	25 be taken at a state-supported college or university only,
140	140	26 pursuant to the tuition reimbursement guidelines as provided
141	141	27 in subsection (c). Training under this section must be
142	142	Page 5 1 initiated prior to the child's thirtieth birthday, and must be
143	143	2 completed within eight years after its initiation, except for
144	144	3 delays caused by military service during the training period,
145	145	4 and in no case may training be received under this chapter
146	146	5 beyond the thirty-eighth birthday of such the child.
147	147	6 "(b) Except as provided in Section 31-6-11(e), the
148	148	7 The educational benefits provided by this section to children
149	149	8 making application for benefits for the first time beginning
150	150	9 with the fall term of the 2014-2015 academic year, and
151	151	10 thereafter, shall be limited to undergraduate courses of study
152	152	11 only, and the value of tuition paid shall be limited to the
153	153	12 in-state tuition rate of the Alabama state institution of
154	154	13 higher learning, college, or university qualifying school
155	155	14 attended.
156	156	15 "(c) For those first filing for benefits under this
157	157	16 chapter on or after July 31, 2017, and for those attending a
158	158	17 qualifying private school, the educational benefit shall be
159	159	18 for tuition reimbursement and books and fees reimbursement.
160	160	19 The value of tuition paid per semester hour (or equivalent)
161	161	20 shall be limited to the rate of the Department of Defense
162	162	21 Tuition Assistance Cap. The value of the books and fees paid
163	163	22 per semester shall be limited to one thousand dollars ($1,000)
164	164	23 per student.
165	165	24 "(d) For the purpose of the minimum disability
166	166	25 requirement provided for in subdivision (a)(4), the dependent
167	167	26 of any veteran whose disability rating as of July 31, 2017, is
168	168	27 at least 20 percent but less than 40 percent shall qualify for
169	169	Page 6 1 the benefits of this chapter, provided that the dependent
170	170	2 shall file application for such benefits before July 31, 2023,
171	171	3 and the dependent is reasonably expected to be eligible to
172	172	4 attend an Alabama institution of higher learning, college, or
173	173	5 university a qualifying school in the next academic year.
174	174	6 "§31-6-5.
175	175	7 "(a) Any wife or husband spouse or unmarried widow
176	176	8 or widower whose spouse, during their marriage:
177	177	9 "(1) Was killed or died in the line of duty or is
178	178	10 listed as missing in action or is/was a prisoner of war while
179	179	11 serving as a member of the armed forces;
180	180	12 "(2) Died from a disability incurred from military
181	181	13 service; or
182	182	14 "(3) Is 100 percent permanently and totally
183	183	15 disabled, whose permanent and total disabilities were
184	184	16 service-connected; shall be entitled to training in any
185	185	17 Alabama state-supported college or university qualifying
186	186	18 school for a period of five standard academic years, not to
187	187	19 exceed 45 months, or to training for the equivalent of 45
188	188	20 months if enrolled part-time or to training in a prescribed
189	189	21 course in a state-supported community or technical college,
190	190	22 and if such course does not require the full 45 months, then
191	191	23 training for the remainder of such 45 months' entitlement may
192	192	24 be taken at a state-supported college or university only,
193	193	25 pursuant to the tuition reimbursement guidelines as provided
194	194	26 in subsection (c). One change of program will be allowed
195	195	27 without counseling. All training received under this section
196	196	Page 7 1 must be completed within eight years after the beginning date
197	197	2 of the course its initiation. This section shall not apply to
198	198	3 the spouse of any such deceased serviceman or veteran who has
199	199	4 remarried prior to applying for and obtaining educational
200	200	5 benefits under this section, and should any such spouse of
201	201	6 such the deceased serviceman or veteran remarry during the
202	202	7 time he or she is in attendance upon any of the qualifying
203	203	8 schools, colleges, or universities mentioned in this section,
204	204	9 then he or she shall pay tuition and fees for the course of
205	205	10 study or attendance upon such the qualifying school, college,
206	206	11 or university from the time of the remarriage. The benefits
207	207	12 provided under this section shall be in addition to federal
208	208	13 government benefits.
209	209	14 "(b) Except as provided in Section 31-6-11(e), the
210	210	15 The educational benefits provided by this section to wives,
211	211	16 husbands, and unmarried spouses and widows or widowers making
212	212	17 application for benefits for the first time beginning with the
213	213	18 fall term of the 2014-2015 academic year, and thereafter,
214	214	19 shall be limited to undergraduate courses of study only, and
215	215	20 the value of tuition paid shall be limited to the in-state
216	216	21 tuition rate of the Alabama state-supported college or
217	217	22 university qualifying school attended.
218	218	23 "(c) For those first filing for benefits under this
219	219	24 chapter on or after July 31, 2017, and for those attending a
220	220	25 qualifying private school, the educational benefit shall be
221	221	26 for tuition reimbursement and books and fees reimbursement.
222	222	27 The value of tuition paid per semester hour (or equivalent)
223	223	Page 8 1 shall be limited to the rate of the Department of Defense
224	224	2 Tuition Assistance Cap. The value of the books and fees paid
225	225	3 per semester shall be limited to $1,000 one thousand dollars
226	226	4 ($1,000) per student.
227	227	5 "§31-6-6.
228	228	6 "(a) The spouse and children of any veteran who is
229	229	7 suffering from 40 to 90 percent service-connected disability
230	230	8 brought about from service in the Armed Forces of the United
231	231	9 States, or the unmarried widow or widower and children of a
232	232	10 deceased veteran who was suffering from 40 percent or more of
233	233	11 service-connected disability at the time of death, provided
234	234	12 such disabilities as are mentioned herein are incurred from
235	235	13 military service, as established by the State Department of
236	236	14 Veterans' Affairs, shall be entitled to the following
237	237	15 educational advantages and opportunities:
238	238	16 "(1) The spouse or unmarried widow or widower, as
239	239	17 the case may be, shall be entitled to up to 27 months of
240	240	18 schooling, or the equivalent of 27 months if enrolled
241	241	19 part-time, in any Alabama state-supported institution of
242	242	20 higher learning, college, or university, or to a prescribed
243	243	21 course in any Alabama state-supported community or technical
244	244	22 college qualifying school, pursuant to the tuition
245	245	23 reimbursement guidelines as provided in subsection (d). One
246	246	24 change of program will be allowed without counseling. It is
247	247	25 provided, however, that all All training received at state
248	248	26 institutions of higher learning or state-supported community
249	249	27 or technical college qualifying schools under this subdivision
250	250	Page 9 1 must be completed within a period of six years after the
251	251	2 beginning date of such two-year course or such prescribed
252	252	3 course its initiation.
253	253	4 "(2) Each child of such a disabled veteran shall be
254	254	5 entitled to five standard academic years, or the equivalent of
255	255	6 45 months if enrolled part-time, in any Alabama
256	256	7 state-supported institution of higher learning, college, or
257	257	8 university, or to a prescribed course at an Alabama
258	258	9 state-supported community or technical college. If the course
259	259	10 of training at the community or technical college does not
260	260	11 require the full time to which such child is entitled
261	261	12 hereunder, then the remaining entitlement may be taken in a
262	262	13 state-supported college or university only, qualifying school
263	263	14 pursuant to the tuition reimbursement guidelines as provided
264	264	15 in subsection (d). One change of program will be allowed
265	265	16 without counseling. Training under this subdivision must be
266	266	17 initiated prior to the child's twenty-sixth birthday, and must
267	267	18 be completed within eight years after its initiation, except
268	268	19 for delays caused by military service during the training
269	269	20 period, and in no case may training be received under this
270	270	21 section beyond the thirty-fourth birthday of such the child.
271	271	22 "(b) For the purpose of the minimum disability
272	272	23 requirement provided for in subsection (a), the dependent of
273	273	24 any veteran whose disability rating as of July 31, 2017, is at
274	274	25 least 20 percent but less than 40 percent shall qualify for
275	275	26 the benefits of this chapter, provided that the dependent
276	276	27 shall file application for such benefits before July 31, 2023,
277	277	Page 10 1 and the dependent is reasonably expected to be eligible to
278	278	2 attend an Alabama institution of higher learning, college or
279	279	3 university a qualifying school in the next academic year.
280	280	4 "(c) Except as provided in Section 31-6-11(e), the
281	281	5 The educational benefits provided by this section to spouses,
282	282	6 children, and unmarried widows and widowers making application
283	283	7 for benefits for the first time beginning with the fall term
284	284	8 of the 2014-2015 academic year, and thereafter, shall be
285	285	9 limited to undergraduate courses of study only, and the value
286	286	10 of tuition paid shall be limited to the in-state tuition rate
287	287	11 of the Alabama state-supported institution of higher learning,
288	288	12 college, or university qualifying school attended.
289	289	13 "(d) For those first filing for benefits under this
290	290	14 chapter on or after July 31, 2017, and for those attending a
291	291	15 qualifying private school, the educational benefit shall be
292	292	16 for tuition reimbursement and books and fees reimbursement.
293	293	17 The value of tuition paid per semester hour (or equivalent)
294	294	18 shall be limited to the rate of the Department of Defense
295	295	19 Tuition Assistance Cap. The value of the books and fees paid
296	296	20 per semester shall be limited to $1,000 one thousand dollars
297	297	21 ($1,000) per student.
298	298	22 "(e) The benefits provided under this section shall
299	299	23 be available in addition to federal government benefits. Any
300	300	24 child, spouse, or unmarried widow who was denied full
301	301	25 entitlement, 27 or 45 months, whichever the case may be, shall
302	302	26 have the remainder of their entitlement reinstated under this
303	303	27 chapter.
304	304	Page 11 1 "§31-6-9.
305	305	2 "(a) For those dependents who first file for
306	306	3 benefits under this chapter prior to July 31, 2017, the
307	307	4 benefits provided under this chapter shall be in addition to
308	308	5 any other state or federal benefits to which that dependent
309	309	6 may be entitled.
310	310	7 "(b) For dependents who first file for benefits
311	311	8 under this chapter on or after July 31, 2017, and for those
312	312	9 attending a qualifying private school:
313	313	10 "(1) To the extent permitted by law, prior to
314	314	11 applying any benefits provided for under this chapter,
315	315	12 institutional certifying officials and financial aid officials
316	316	13 shall first apply other federal, state, institutional, and
317	317	14 third party scholarships and grants awarded to the dependent
318	318	15 for that academic period for payment of required educational
319	319	16 expenses during an academic period.
320	320	17 "(2) A completed Free Application for Federal
321	321	18 Student Aid (FAFSA), or the equivalent, must be submitted to
322	322	19 the United States Department of Education for each year in
323	323	20 which the dependent receives benefits under this chapter. The
324	324	21 dependent shall have applied for all federal student financial
325	325	22 aid grants, including, but not limited to, Pell Grants,
326	326	23 Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, and Education and
327	327	24 Training Vouchers, identified as being available for the
328	328	25 student's application by Federal Student Aid, an office of the
329	329	26 United States Department of Education, or its successor
330	330	27 agency.
331	331	Page 12 1 "(3) All students receiving educational benefits
332	332	2 under this chapter and the educational institutions qualifying
333	333	3 schools they attend must comply with the standards of
334	334	4 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as required for Title IV
335	335	5 benefits under the Higher Education Act and as defined by that
336	336	6 education institution qualifying school. Those students who
337	337	7 would no longer be eligible to receive Title IV benefits due
338	338	8 to a failure to meet SAP standards shall no longer be eligible
339	339	9 to receive benefits under this chapter. Education institutions
340	340	10 Each qualifying school shall notify the Alabama State
341	341	11 Department of Veterans Veterans' Affairs of any student who
342	342	12 currently holds a certificate of eligibility for benefits
343	343	13 under this chapter who is no longer eligible to receive
344	344	14 benefits due to a failure to meet SAP standards and the
345	345	15 effective date of that change in eligibility.
346	346	16 "(4) The dependent shall ensure that all qualifying
347	347	17 schools they attend he or she attends under this program are
348	348	18 authorized to release such personally identifiable information
349	349	19 to the Alabama State Department of Veterans Veterans' Affairs
350	350	20 as is required for the determination of that dependent's
351	351	21 continued eligibility and as required for the completion of
352	352	22 all reports required by law.
353	353	23 "(c) Any dependent who receives benefits under this
354	354	24 chapter, and whose benefit period is interrupted due to
355	355	25 accident, injury, or illness, shall have the benefit time
356	356	26 period which is lost due to such accident, illness, or injury
357	357	27 restored to him or her.
358	358	Page 13 1 "(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
359	359	2 chapter to the contrary, dependents of any veteran whose
360	360	3 disability rating, if any, prior to May 23, 2017, was less
361	361	4 than 20 percent, but who had a claim for compensation pending
362	362	5 prior to that date which resulted in a final award by the
363	363	6 United States Department of Veterans Affairs of at least 20
364	364	7 percent, shall be eligible for education benefits as the
365	365	8 chapter read prior to May 23, 2017, if the dependent files an
366	366	9 application for benefits under this chapter within six months
367	367	10 of that final adjudication and provides proof satisfactory to
368	368	11 the Alabama State Department of Veterans Veterans' Affairs
369	369	12 that they qualify he or she qualifies under this exception and
370	370	13 currently meet satisfies the eligibility requirements as the
371	371	14 chapter read prior to May 23, 2017.
372	372	15 "§31-6-11.
373	373	16 "(a) Before an application of any veteran for
374	374	17 benefits under this chapter can be approved, such veteran
375	375	18 shall submit proof, satisfactory to the State Department of
376	376	19 Veterans' Affairs, of all of the following:
377	377	20 "(1) Identification.
378	378	21 "(2) Having been a permanent resident of the State
379	379	22 of Alabama for at least one year immediately prior to his or
380	380	23 her entrance into service.
381	381	24 "(3) An honorable discharge or other proof of
382	382	25 honorable termination of at least 24 months of service in the
383	383	26 armed forces, or if such veteran was discharged or released by
384	384	Page 14 1 reason of service-connected disability then proof of honorable
385	385	2 termination of less than 24 months of service is acceptable.
386	386	3 "(b)(a) Before the application of a wife spouse,
387	387	4 widow, or child of a disabled veteran or a deceased veteran or
388	388	5 serviceman for educational benefits under this chapter is
389	389	6 approved, proof, satisfactory to the State Department of
390	390	7 Veterans' Affairs, must be submitted of all of the following:
391	391	8 "(1) Establishing the identification of such wife
392	392	9 the spouse, widow, or child as the wife spouse, widow, or
393	393	10 child of the veteran or serviceman, as the case may be.
394	394	11 "(2) Of the veteran or serviceman having been a
395	395	12 permanent resident of the State of Alabama for at least one
396	396	13 year immediately prior, to his or her entrance into service,
397	397	14 or if the applicant is the wife spouse, widow, or child of a
398	398	15 totally and permanently disabled veteran, then proof either of
399	399	16 the veteran's having been a permanent resident of the State of
400	400	17 Alabama for at least one year prior to his or her entrance
401	401	18 into service or proof that the veteran has been a bona fide
402	402	19 resident of this state for at least five years immediately
403	403	20 prior to the filing of the application for benefits under this
404	404	21 chapter or immediately prior to his or her death if the
405	405	22 veteran is deceased.
406	406	23 "(3) Of the veteran or serviceman having been a
407	407	24 permanent resident of the State of Alabama for at least two
408	408	25 years immediately prior to the filing of the application for
409	409	26 benefits under this chapter or has filed an Alabama income tax
410	410	27 return as a resident individual for the previous ten 10 years
411	411	Page 15 1 or is a current resident and was discharged from active duty
412	412	2 within the prior 12 months. If the veteran or serviceman is
413	413	3 deceased, his or her dependent may still qualify if the
414	414	4 veteran or serviceman met this residency requirement at the
415	415	5 time of his or her death. Alabama income tax return
416	416	6 information, including, but not limited to, the type of return
417	417	7 filed, necessary to show the residency requirements under this
418	418	8 chapter have been met is hereby exempted from the
419	419	9 confidentiality provisions of Section 40-2A-10, and shall be
420	420	10 provided by the Department of Revenue to the State Department
421	421	11 of Veterans Veterans' Affairs upon request. Such requests and
422	422	12 the significance of the information provided, shall be
423	423	13 requested by the State Department of Veterans Veterans'
424	424	14 Affairs as necessary when other residency information is not
425	425	15 available, and the department shall promulgate adopt rules and
426	426	16 procedures to effect the provisions of this section as needed.
427	427	17 "(4) Of the wife spouse, widow, or child being a
428	428	18 current resident of the State of Alabama.
429	429	19 "(5) An honorable discharge or other proof of
430	430	20 honorable termination of service of the veteran or serviceman
431	431	21 in the armed forces for a period of at least 90 days between
432	432	22 the dates mentioned in this chapter, or service of less than
433	433	23 90 days if the veteran or serviceman was discharged or
434	434	24 released by reason of a qualifying service-connected
435	435	25 disability.
436	436	26 "(c) The service upon which any benefits are awarded
437	437	27 under this chapter shall have been rendered during wartime or
438	438	Page 16 1 under extrahazardous conditions, except as provided otherwise
439	439	2 in this section; and this condition of eligibility shall be
440	440	3 established by the State Department of Veterans' Affairs.
441	441	4 "(d) The service requirements provided for in
442	442	5 subsection (c) shall not apply to any person making
443	443	6 application for benefits under this chapter beginning with the
444	444	7 fall term of the 2014-2015 academic year, and thereafter.
445	445	8 "(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
446	446	9 chapter to the contrary, any person denied educational
447	447	10 benefits provided by this chapter based solely upon the
448	448	11 service requirements provided for in subsection (c) shall be
449	449	12 eligible to receive the benefits the person would otherwise
450	450	13 have been entitled to had their application been approved at
451	451	14 the time of initial application, except as provided otherwise
452	452	15 in this subsection. Any age limitation on the benefits
453	453	16 provided by this chapter shall be extended in like manner for
454	454	17 any such previously denied person to ensure that the person
455	455	18 has the opportunity to receive all benefits they would
456	456	19 otherwise have been entitled. In order to receive any
457	457	20 educational benefits, such the previously denied person must
458	458	21 reapply for educational benefits with the State Department of
459	459	22 Veterans' Affairs and begin use of the educational benefits no
460	460	23 later than the fall term of the 2015-2016 academic year. The
461	461	24 value of tuition paid for any such previously denied person
462	462	25 shall be limited to the in-state tuition rate of the Alabama
463	463	26 state institution of higher learning, college, or university
464	464	27 state-supported school attended.
465	465	Page 17 1 "(f)(b) For those first filing for benefits under
466	466	2 this chapter on or after July 31, 2017, and for those
467	467	3 attending a qualifying private school, the educational benefit
468	468	4 shall be for tuition reimbursement and books and fees
469	469	5 reimbursement. The value of tuition paid per semester hour (or
470	470	6 equivalent) shall be limited to the rate of the Department of
471	471	7 Defense Tuition Assistance Cap. The value of the books and
472	472	8 fees paid per semester shall be limited to $1,000 one thousand
473	473	9 dollars ($1,000) per student.
474	474	10 "§31-6-12.
475	475	11 "The State Department of Veterans' Affairs is hereby
476	476	12 charged with the duty of informing the veterans and their
477	477	13 dependents in this state, through its county service
478	478	14 commissioners and all other sources at its command, of the
479	479	15 provisions of this chapter in order that those veterans and
480	480	16 their dependents may know of the benefits provided in this
481	481	17 chapter. The State Department of Veterans' Affairs shall
482	482	18 furnish and assist in preparing and producing all necessary
483	483	19 blanks, forms, and other matters necessary for the veterans,
484	484	20 their wives spouses, widows, or children to obtain the
485	485	21 benefits provided under this chapter. The State Service
486	486	22 Commissioner shall cause to be forwarded to the state
487	487	23 institution of higher learning, college or university, or
488	488	24 state trade qualifying school of the applicant's choice, a
489	489	25 certificate of eligibility and entitlement, or other necessary
490	490	26 proof for the veteran, his wife or her spouse, widow, or child
491	491	27 to obtain the benefits made available hereby.
492	492	Page 18 1 "§31-6-13.
493	493	2 "The president or head of each state institution of
494	494	3 higher learning or college or university or state trade
495	495	4 qualifying school must inform the faculty members of each
496	496	5 respective institution of the provisions and benefits of this
497	497	6 chapter, who in turn shall inform the wives spouses, widows,
498	498	7 and children of veterans attending such institutions as to
499	499	8 their rights and benefits under the provisions of this
500	500	9 chapter.
501	501	10 "§31-6-14.
502	502	11 The county superintendent of education and the city
503	503	12 superintendent of schools in each respective county and city
504	504	13 must shall inform the teachers of their county and city of the
505	505	14 provisions and benefits of this chapter, who in turn shall
506	506	15 inform the children of veterans as to their rights and
507	507	16 benefits under the provisions of this chapter.
508	508	17 "§31-6-15.
509	509	18 "(a) The benefits provided in this chapter shall be
510	510	19 paid from an annual appropriation from the Education Trust
511	511	20 Fund to reimburse every Alabama state institution of higher
512	512	21 learning, college, university, or Alabama community or
513	513	22 technical college qualifying school in which benefits are
514	514	23 given to veterans, their wives spouses, widows, or children
515	515	24 under this chapter. Such reimbursement Reimbursement shall be
516	516	25 made timely at the end of each academic quarter or semester
517	517	26 for all tuition reimbursements for the certified invoices
518	518	27 submitted by such the institution or school to the State
519	519	Page 19 1 Department of Veterans' Affairs, and shall be supported by
520	520	2 names of the students receiving such benefits, together with
521	521	3 the amounts claimed for each student. Any amount of in-state
522	522	4 tuition, books, or fees not paid by the combination of
523	523	5 federal, state, and third party funds may be billed to
524	524	6 students receiving such benefits or waived by the institution
525	525	7 or school.
526	526	8 "(b) The Department of Examiners of Public Accounts
527	527	9 may audit the records of any two-year or four-year institution
528	528	10 of higher education which receives any reimbursement as a
529	529	11 result of this chapter to the same extent, degree, and scope
530	530	12 as audits performed on other public educational institutions,
531	531	13 and the institution shall submit to the Legislature and the
532	532	14 State Department of Veterans' Affairs each year, before any
533	533	15 subsequent reimbursement may be applied for or considered, a
534	534	16 full accounting of any receipts, disbursements, assets,
535	535	17 liabilities, and other resources as of the date of the close
536	536	18 of the immediately preceding academic year.
537	537	19 "§31-6-15.1.
538	538	20 "The State Department of Veterans Veterans' Affairs
539	539	21 shall report to the Legislature, by January 1st of each year,
540	540	22 the number of applicants approved in the previous fiscal year
541	541	23 and those approved as of the reporting date for the current
542	542	24 fiscal year, the number of students by years of remaining
543	543	25 eligibility, and the costs of the previous fiscal year's
544	544	26 expenditures to the program by each category of public
545	545	27 institution of higher learning qualifying school to include
546	546	Page 20 1 the number of students who attended each of those institutions
547	547	2 schools.
548	548	3 "§31-6-16.
549	549	4 "Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as
550	550	5 lowering the standards or requirements, or as to making any
551	551	6 exceptions thereto for entrance into any of the state
552	552	7 qualifying schools or institutions affected by this chapter.
553	553	8 All applicants, in order to obtain the educational benefits of
554	554	9 this chapter, must first meet all scholastic and other
555	555	10 requirements for entrance into any of the qualifying schools
556	556	11 coming within the purview of this chapter."
557	557	12 Section 2. Section 31-6-8, Code of Alabama 1975,
558	558	13 relating to Alabama G.I. Scholarships, is repealed.
559	559	14 Section 3. This act shall become effective on June
560	560	15 1, 2022, following its passage and approval by the Governor,
561	561	16 or its otherwise becoming law.
562	562	Page 21