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General Assembly Committee Bill No. 5544
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 3785
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)
AN ACT CONCERNING FE E WAIVERS FOR VETERA NS ATTENDING
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10a-77 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
(a) Subject to the provisions of section 10a-26, the Board of [Trustees 3
of the Community-Technical Colleges] Regents for Higher Education 4
shall fix fees for tuition at the regional community-technical colleges and 5
shall fix fees for such other purposes as the board deems necessary at 6
the regional community-technical colleges, and may make refunds to 7
the same. 8
(b) The Board of [Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges] 9
Regents for Higher Education shall establish and administer a fund to 10
be known as the Regional Community-Technical Colleges Operating 11
Fund. Appropriations from general revenues of the state and, upon 12
request by the board and with an annual review and approval by the 13 Committee Bill No. 5544
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Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the amount of the 14
appropriations for fringe benefits and workers' compensation 15
applicable to the community-technical colleges pursuant to subsection 16
(a) of section 4-73, shall be transferred from the Comptroller, and all 17
tuition revenue received by the regional community-technical colleges 18
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall 19
be deposited in said fund. Income from student fees or related charges; 20
the proceeds of auxiliary activities and business enterprises, gifts and 21
donations; federal funds and grants for purposes other than research, 22
and all receipts derived from the conduct by the colleges of their 23
education extension programs and summer school sessions shall be 24
credited to said fund but shall be allocated to the central office and 25
institutional operating accounts which shall be established and 26
maintained for the central office and each community-technical college. 27
If the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management disapproves 28
such transfer, the secretary may require the amount of the appropriation 29
for operating expenses to be used for personal services and fringe 30
benefits to be excluded from said fund. The State Treasurer shall review 31
and approve the transfer prior to such request by [the] said board. [of 32
trustees.] The board shall establish an equitable policy for allocation of 33
appropriations from general revenues of the state, fringe benefits 34
transferred from the Comptroller and tuition revenue deposited in the 35
Regional Community-Technical Colleges Operating Fund. At the 36
beginning of each quarter of the fiscal year, the board shall allocate and 37
transfer, in accordance with said policy, moneys for expenditure in such 38
institutional operating accounts, exclusive of amounts retained for 39
central office operations and reasonable reserves for future distribution. 40
All costs of waiving or remitting tuition pursuant to subsection (f) of this 41
section shall be charged to the Regional Community-Technical Colleges 42
Operating Fund. Repairs, alterations or additions to facilities supported 43
by operating funds and costing one million dollars or more shall require 44
the approval of the General Assembly, or when the General Assembly 45
is not in session, of the Finance Advisory Committee. Any balance of 46
receipts above expenditures shall remain in said fund, except such sums 47
as may be required for deposit into a debt service fund or the General 48 Committee Bill No. 5544
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Fund for further payment by the Treasurer of debt service on general 49
obligation bonds of the state issued for purposes of community-50
technical colleges. 51
(c) [Commencing December 1, 1984, and thereafter not] Not later than 52
sixty days after the close of each quarter, the [board of trustees] Board 53
of Regents for Higher Education shall submit to the joint standing 54
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 55
relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, the Office 56
of Higher Education and the Office of Policy and Management a report 57
on the actual expenditures of the Regional Community-Technical 58
Colleges Operating Fund. 59
(d) Said board [of trustees] shall (1) waive the payment of tuition at 60
any of the regional community-technical colleges [(1)] (A) for any 61
dependent child of a person whom the armed forces of the United States 62
has declared to be missing in action or to have been a prisoner of war 63
while serving in such armed forces after January 1, 1960, which child 64
has been accepted for admission to such institution and is a resident of 65
the state at the time such child is accepted for admission to such 66
institution, [(2) subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, 67
for any (A) veteran who performed service in time of war, as defined in 68
section 27-103, or (B) person with a qualifying condition, as defined in 69
said section, who has received a discharge other than bad conduct or 70
dishonorable from active service in the armed forces and who 71
performed service in time of war, except that for purposes of this 72
subsection, "service in time of war" shall not include time spent in 73
attendance at a military service academy, which veteran or person has 74
been accepted for admission to such institution and is domiciled in this 75
state at the time such veteran or person is accepted for admission to such 76
institution, (3)] (B) for any resident of the state sixty-two years of age or 77
older, provided, at the end of the regular registration period, there are 78
enrolled in the course a sufficient number of students other than those 79
residents eligible for waivers pursuant to this subdivision to offer the 80
course in which such resident intends to enroll and there is space 81 Committee Bill No. 5544
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available in such course after accommodating all such students, [(4)] (C) 82
for any student attending the Connecticut State Police Academy who is 83
enrolled in a law enforcement program at said academy offered in 84
coordination with a regional community-technical college which 85
accredits courses taken in such program, [(5)] (D) for any active member 86
of the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who [(A)] (i) has been 87
certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant General's designee 88
as a member in good standing of the guard, and [(B)] (ii) is enrolled or 89
accepted for admission to such institution on a full-time or part-time 90
basis in an undergraduate degree-granting program, [(6)] (E) for any 91
dependent child of a [(A)] (i) police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, 92
or supernumerary or auxiliary police officer, [(B)] (ii) firefighter, as 93
defined in section 7-323j, or member of a volunteer fire company, [(C)] 94
(iii) municipal employee, or [(D)] (iv) state employee, as defined in 95
section 5-154, killed in the line of duty, [(7)] (F) for any resident of the 96
state who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a specified 97
terrorist victim who was a resident of this state, [(8)] (G) for any 98
dependent child of a resident of the state who was killed in a 99
multivehicle crash at or near the intersection of Routes 44 and 10 and 100
Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 2005, and [(9)] (H) for any resident of the 101
state who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a person who was 102
killed in action while performing active military duty with the armed 103
forces of the United States on or after September 11, 2001, and who was 104
a resident of this state, and (2) waive the payment of tuition and student 105
fees at any of the regional community-technical colleges, subject to the 106
provisions of subsection (e) of this section, for any (A) veteran who 107
performed service in time of war, as defined in section 27-103, or (B) 108
person with a qualifying condition, as defined in said section, who has 109
received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from active 110
service in the armed forces and who performed service in time of war, 111
except that for purposes of this subsection, "service in time of war" shall 112
not include time spent in attendance at a military service academy, 113
which veteran or person has been accepted for admission to such 114
institution and is domiciled in this state at the time such veteran or 115
person is accepted for admission to such institution. If any person who 116 Committee Bill No. 5544
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receives a tuition or student fee waiver in accordance with the 117
provisions of this subsection also receives educational reimbursement 118
from an employer, such waiver shall be reduced by the amount of such 119
educational reimbursement. Veterans and persons described in 120
subdivision (2) of this subsection and members of the National Guard 121
described in [subdivision (5)] subparagraph (D) of subdivision (1) of this 122
subsection shall be given the same status as students not receiving 123
tuition waivers in registering for courses at regional community-124
technical colleges. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as 125
used in this subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for 126
less than one year. 127
(e) [(1)] If any veteran described in subsection (d) of this section has 128
applied for federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans 129
Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the [board of trustees] Board of 130
Regents for Higher Education shall waive the payment of tuition and 131
student fees at any of the regional community-technical colleges for 132
such veteran [in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection] for 133
any amount in excess of the federal educational assistance received by 134
such veteran. If any such veteran certifies to said board that such 135
veteran's application for such federal educational assistance has been 136
denied or withdrawn, said board [of trustees] shall waive the payment 137
of tuition and student fees in accordance with subsection (d) of this 138
section. 139
[(2) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, "veteran tuition benefit" 140
means the portion of federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 141
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to be paid to a regional 142
community-technical college on behalf of a veteran that represents 143
payment for tuition. Such portion shall be calculated by multiplying (i) 144
the total amount of such federal educational assistance to be paid to a 145
regional community-technical college on behalf of such veteran by (ii) 146
an amount obtained by dividing (I) the actual tuition charged by such 147
college to such veteran by (II) the sum of the actual tuition and fees 148
charged by such college to such veteran. 149 Committee Bill No. 5544
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(B) Said board of trustees shall waive the payment of tuition in excess 150
of the veteran tuition benefit at any of the regional community-technical 151
colleges for such veteran.] 152
(f) Said board shall set aside from its anticipated regional community-153
technical college tuition revenue, an amount not less than that required 154
by said board's tuition policy. Such funds shall be used to provide 155
tuition waivers, tuition remissions, grants for educational expenses and 156
student employment for residents enrolled in regional community-157
technical colleges as full or part-time matriculated students in a degree-158
granting program, or enrolled in a precollege remedial program, who 159
demonstrate substantial financial need. Said board may also set aside 160
from its anticipated tuition revenue an additional amount equal to one 161
per cent of said tuition revenue for financial assistance for students who 162
would not otherwise be eligible for financial assistance but who do have 163
a financial need as determined by the college in accordance with this 164
subsection. In determining such financial need, the college shall exclude 165
the value of equity in the principal residence of the student's parents or 166
legal guardians, or in the student's principal residence if the student is 167
not considered to be a dependent of his parents or legal guardians and 168
shall assess the earnings of a dependent student at the rate of thirty per 169
cent. 170
(g) The Regional Community-Technical Colleges Operating Fund 171
shall be reimbursed for the amount by which the tuition and student fee 172
waivers granted under subsection (d) of this section exceed five per cent 173
of tuition and student fee revenue through an annual state 174
appropriation. The board of trustees shall request such an appropriation 175
and [said] such appropriation shall be based upon an estimate of tuition 176
and student fee revenue loss using tuition rates and student fees in effect 177
for the fiscal year in which such appropriation will apply. 178
(h) Said board [of trustees] shall allow any student who is a member 179
of the armed forces called to active duty during any semester to enroll 180
in any course for which such student had remitted tuition but which 181
was not completed due to active duty status. Such course reenrollment 182 Committee Bill No. 5544
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shall be offered to any qualifying student for a period not exceeding four 183
years after the date of release from active duty without additional 184
tuition, student fee or related charge, except if such student has been 185
fully reimbursed for the tuition, fees and charges for the course that was 186
not completed. 187
Sec. 2. Section 10a-99 of the general statutes is repealed and the 188
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 189
(a) Subject to the provisions of section 10a-26, the Board of [Trustees 190
of the Connecticut State University System] Regents for Higher 191
Education shall fix fees for tuition and shall fix fees for such other 192
purposes as the board deems necessary at the university, and may make 193
refunds of the same. 194
(b) The Board of [Trustees of the Connecticut State University 195
System] Regents for Higher Education shall establish and administer a 196
fund to be known as the Connecticut State University System Operating 197
Fund. Appropriations from general revenues of the state and upon 198
request by the Connecticut State University System and with the annual 199
review and approval by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 200
Management, the amount of the appropriations for fringe benefits 201
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 4-73, shall be transferred from the 202
State Comptroller and all tuition revenue received by the Connecticut 203
State University System in accordance with the provisions of subsection 204
(a) of this section shall be deposited in said fund. Income from student 205
fees or related charges, the proceeds of auxiliary activities and business 206
enterprises, gifts and donations, federal funds and grants, subject to the 207
provisions of sections 10a-98 to 10a-98g, inclusive, and all receipts 208
derived from the conduct by a state university of its education extension 209
program and its summer school session shall be credited to said fund 210
but shall be allocated to the central office and institutional operating 211
accounts which shall be established and maintained for the central office 212
and each state university. Any such gifts and donations, federal funds 213
and grants for purposes of research shall be allocated to separate 214
accounts within such central office and institutional operating accounts. 215 Committee Bill No. 5544
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If the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management disapproves 216
such transfer, [he] the secretary may require the amount of the 217
appropriation for operating expenses to be used for personal services 218
and fringe benefits to be excluded from said fund. The State Treasurer 219
shall review and approve the transfer prior to such request by [the 220
university] said board. The board [of trustees] shall establish an 221
equitable policy for allocation of appropriations from general revenues 222
of the state, fringe benefits transferred from the State Comptroller and 223
tuition revenue deposited in the Connecticut State University System 224
Operating Fund. At the beginning of each quarter of the fiscal year, the 225
board shall allocate and transfer, in accordance with said policy, moneys 226
for expenditure in such institutional operating accounts, exclusive of 227
amounts retained for central office operations and reasonable reserves 228
for future distribution. All costs of waiving or remitting tuition pursuant 229
to subsection (f) of this section shall be charged to the Connecticut State 230
University System Operating Fund. Repairs, alterations or additions to 231
facilities supported by the Connecticut State University System 232
Operating Fund and costing one million dollars or more shall require 233
the approval of the General Assembly, or when the General Assembly 234
is not in session, of the Finance Advisory Committee. Any balance of 235
receipts above expenditures shall remain in said fund, except such sums 236
as may be required for deposit into a debt service fund or the General 237
Fund for further payment by the Treasurer of debt service on general 238
obligation bonds of the state issued for purposes of the Connecticut 239
State University System. 240
(c) [Commencing December 1, 1984, and thereafter not] Not later than 241
sixty days after the close of each quarter, the [board of trustees] Board 242
of Regents for Higher Education shall submit to the joint standing 243
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 244
relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, the Office 245
of Higher Education and the Office of Policy and Management a report 246
on the actual expenditures of the Connecticut State University System 247
Operating Fund. 248 Committee Bill No. 5544
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(d) Said board shall (1) waive the payment of tuition fees at the 249
Connecticut State University System [(1)] (A) for any dependent child 250
of a person whom the armed forces of the United States has declared to 251
be missing in action or to have been a prisoner of war while serving in 252
such armed forces after January 1, 1960, which child has been accepted 253
for admission to such institution and is a resident of the state at the time 254
such child is accepted for admission to such institution, [(2) subject to 255
the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, for any (A) veteran who 256
performed service in time of war, as defined in section 27-103, or (B) 257
person with a qualifying condition, as defined in said section, who has 258
received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from active 259
service in the armed forces and who performed service in time of war, 260
except that for purposes of this subsection, "service in time of war" shall 261
not include time spent in attendance at a military service academy, 262
which veteran or person has been accepted for admission to such 263
institution and is domiciled in this state at the time such veteran or 264
person is accepted for admission to such institution, (3)] (B) for any 265
resident of the state sixty-two years of age or older who has been 266
accepted for admission to such institution, provided [(A)] (i) such 267
resident is enrolled in a degree-granting program, or [(B)] (ii) at the end 268
of the regular registration period, there are enrolled in the course a 269
sufficient number of students other than those residents eligible for 270
waivers pursuant to this subdivision to offer the course in which such 271
resident intends to enroll and there is space available in such course 272
after accommodating all such students, [(4)] (C) for any student 273
attending the Connecticut Police Academy who is enrolled in a law 274
enforcement program at said academy offered in coordination with the 275
university which accredits courses taken in such program, [(5)] (D) for 276
any active member of the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who 277
[(A)] (i) has been certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant 278
General's designee as a member in good standing of the guard, and [(B)] 279
(ii) is enrolled or accepted for admission to such institution on a full-280
time or part-time basis in an undergraduate or graduate degree-281
granting program, [(6)] (E) for any dependent child of a [(A)] (i) police 282
officer, as defined in section 7-294a, or supernumerary or auxiliary 283 Committee Bill No. 5544
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police officer, [(B)] (ii) firefighter, as defined in section 7-323j, or member 284
of a volunteer fire company, [(C)] (iii) municipal employee, or [(D)] (iv) 285
state employee, as defined in section 5-154, killed in the line of duty, [(7)] 286
(F) for any resident of this state who is a dependent child or surviving 287
spouse of a specified terrorist victim who was a resident of the state, 288
[(8)] (G) for any dependent child of a resident of the state who was killed 289
in a multivehicle crash at or near the intersection of Routes 44 and 10 290
and Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 2005, and [(9)] (H) for any resident 291
of the state who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a person 292
who was killed in action while performing active military duty with the 293
armed forces of the United States on or after September 11, 2001, and 294
who was a resident of this state, and (2) waive the payment of tuition 295
and student fees at the Connecticut State University System, subject to 296
the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, for any (A) veteran who 297
performed service in time of war, as defined in section 27-103, or (B) 298
person with a qualifying condition, as defined in said section, who has 299
received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from active 300
service in the armed forces and who performed service in time of war, 301
except that for purposes of this subsection, "service in time of war" shall 302
not include time spent in attendance at a military service academy, 303
which veteran or person has been accepted for admission to such 304
institution and is domiciled in this state at the time such veteran or 305
person is accepted for admission to such institution. If any person who 306
receives a tuition or student fee waiver in accordance with the 307
provisions of this subsection also receives educational reimbursement 308
from an employer, such waiver shall be reduced by the amount of such 309
educational reimbursement. Veterans and persons described in 310
subdivision (2) of this subsection and members of the National Guard 311
described in [subdivision (5)] subparagraph (D) of subdivision (1) of this 312
subsection shall be given the same status as students not receiving 313
tuition waivers in registering for courses at Connecticut state 314
universities. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used 315
in this subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less 316
than one year. 317 Committee Bill No. 5544
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(e) [(1)] If any veteran described in subsection (d) of this section has 318
applied for federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans 319
Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the [board of trustees] Board of 320
Regents for Higher Education shall waive the payment of tuition and 321
student fees at the Connecticut State University System for such veteran 322
[in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection] for any amount 323
in excess of the federal educational assistance received by such veteran. 324
If any such veteran certifies to said board that such veteran's application 325
for such federal educational assistance has been denied or withdrawn, 326
said board [of trustees] shall waive the payment of tuition and student 327
fees in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. 328
[(2) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, "veteran tuition benefit" 329
means the portion of federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 330
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to be paid to the 331
Connecticut State University System on behalf of a veteran that 332
represents payment for tuition. Such portion shall be calculated by 333
multiplying (i) the total amount of such federal educational assistance 334
to be paid to the Connecticut State University System on behalf of such 335
veteran by (ii) an amount obtained by dividing (I) the actual tuition 336
charged by the Connecticut State University System to such veteran by 337
(II) the sum of the actual tuition and fees charged by the Connecticut 338
State University System to such veteran. 339
(B) Said board of trustees shall waive the payment of tuition in excess 340
of the veteran tuition benefit at the Connecticut State University System 341
for such veteran.] 342
(f) Said board shall set aside from its anticipated tuition revenue, an 343
amount not less than that required by the [board of governors'] board's 344
tuition policy established under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of 345
section 10a-6. Such funds shall be used to provide tuition waivers, 346
tuition remissions, grants for educational expenses and student 347
employment for any undergraduate or graduate student who is enrolled 348
as a full or part-time matriculated student in a degree-granting 349
program, or enrolled in a precollege remedial program, and who 350 Committee Bill No. 5544
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demonstrates substantial financial need. Said board may also set aside 351
from its anticipated tuition revenue an additional amount equal to one 352
per cent of said tuition revenue for financial assistance for students who 353
would not otherwise be eligible for financial assistance but who do have 354
a financial need as determined by the university in accordance with this 355
subsection. In determining such financial need, the university shall 356
exclude the value of equity in the principal residence of the student's 357
parents or legal guardians, or in the student's principal residence if the 358
student is not considered to be a dependent of his parents or legal 359
guardians and shall assess the earnings of a dependent student at the 360
rate of thirty per cent. 361
(g) The Connecticut State University System Operating Fund shall be 362
reimbursed for the amount by which the tuition and student fee waivers 363
granted under subsection (d) of this section exceed two and one-half per 364
cent of tuition and student fee revenue through an annual state 365
appropriation. The board [of trustees] shall request such an 366
appropriation and [said] such appropriation shall be based upon an 367
estimate of tuition and student fee revenue loss using tuition rates and 368
student fees in effect for the fiscal year in which such appropriation will 369
apply. 370
(h) Said board [of trustees] shall allow any student who is a member 371
of the armed forces called to active duty during any semester to enroll 372
in any course for which such student had remitted tuition but which 373
was not completed due to active duty status. Such course reenrollment 374
shall be offered to any qualifying student for a period not exceeding four 375
years after the date of release from active duty without additional 376
tuition, student fee or related charge, except if such student has been 377
fully reimbursed for the tuition, fees and charges for the course that was 378
not completed. 379
Sec. 3. Subsections (d) to (h), inclusive, of section 10a-105 of the 380
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 381
thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 382 Committee Bill No. 5544
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(d) [Commencing December 1, 1981, and thereafter not] Not later 383
than sixty days after the close of each quarter, the board of trustees shall 384
submit to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 385
cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state 386
agencies, the Office of Higher Education and the Office of Policy and 387
Management a report on the actual expenditures of The University of 388
Connecticut Operating Fund and The University of Connecticut Health 389
Center Operating Fund containing such relevant information as the 390
Office of Policy and Management may require. [in the form prescribed 391
by the board of regents in accordance with subsection (a) of section 10a-392
8.] 393
(e) Said board of trustees shall (1) waive the payment of tuition fees 394
at The University of Connecticut [(1)] (A) for any dependent child of a 395
person whom the armed forces of the United States has declared to be 396
missing in action or to have been a prisoner of war while serving in such 397
armed forces after January 1, 1960, which child has been accepted for 398
admission to The University of Connecticut and is a resident of the state 399
at the time such child is accepted for admission to said institution, [(2) 400
subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, for any (A) 401
veteran who performed service in time of war, as defined in section 27-402
103, or (B) person with a qualifying condition, as defined in said section, 403
who has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable 404
from active service in the armed forces and who performed service in 405
time of war, except that for purposes of this subsection, "service in time 406
of war" shall not include time spent in attendance at a military service 407
academy, which veteran or person has been accepted for admission to 408
said institution and is domiciled in this state at the time such veteran or 409
person is accepted for admission to said institution, (3)] (B) for any 410
resident of the state sixty-two years of age or older who has been 411
accepted for admission to said institution, provided [(A)] (i) such 412
resident is enrolled in a degree-granting program, or [(B)] (ii) at the end 413
of the regular registration period, there are enrolled in the course a 414
sufficient number of students other than those residents eligible for 415
waivers pursuant to this subdivision to offer the course in which such 416 Committee Bill No. 5544
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resident intends to enroll and there is space available in such course 417
after accommodating all such students, [(4)] (C) for any active member 418
of the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who [(A)] (i) has been 419
certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant General's designee 420
as a member in good standing of the guard, and [(B)] (ii) is enrolled or 421
accepted for admission to said institution on a full-time or part-time 422
basis in an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting program, [(5)] 423
(D) for any dependent child of a [(A)] (i) police officer, as defined in 424
section 7-294a, or supernumerary or auxiliary police officer, [(B)] (ii) 425
firefighter, as defined in section 7-323j, or member of a volunteer fire 426
company, [(C)] (iii) municipal employee, or [(D)] (iv) state employee, as 427
defined in section 5-154, killed in the line of duty, [(6)] (E) for any 428
resident of the state who is the dependent child or surviving spouse of 429
a specified terrorist victim who was a resident of the state, [(7)] (F) for 430
any dependent child of a resident of the state who was killed in a 431
multivehicle crash at or near the intersection of Routes 44 and 10 and 432
Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 2005, and [(8)] (G) for any resident of the 433
state who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a person who was 434
killed in action while performing active military duty with the armed 435
forces of the United States on or after September 11, 2001, and who was 436
a resident of this state, and (2) waive the payment of tuition and student 437
fees at The University of Connecticut, subject to the provisions of 438
subsection (f) of this section, for any (A) veteran who performed service 439
in time of war, as defined in section 27-103, or (B) person with a 440
qualifying condition, as defined in said section, who has received a 441
discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from active service in 442
the armed forces and who performed service in time of war, except that 443
for purposes of this subsection, "service in time of war" shall not include 444
time spent in attendance at a military service academy, which veteran 445
or person has been accepted for admission to said institution and is 446
domiciled in this state at the time such veteran or person is accepted for 447
admission to said institution. If any person who receives a tuition or 448
student fee waiver in accordance with the provisions of this subsection 449
also receives educational reimbursement from an employer, such 450
waiver shall be reduced by the amount of such educational 451 Committee Bill No. 5544
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reimbursement. Veterans and persons described in subdivision (2) of 452
this subsection and members of the National Guard described in 453
[subdivision (4)] subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this subsection 454
shall be given the same status as students not receiving tuition waivers 455
in registering for courses at The University of Connecticut. 456
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used in this 457
subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less than one 458
year. 459
(f) [(1)] If any veteran described in subsection (e) of this section has 460
applied for federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans 461
Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the board of trustees shall waive the 462
payment of tuition and student fees at The University of Connecticut for 463
such veteran [in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection] for 464
any amount in excess of the federal educational assistance received by 465
such veteran. If any such veteran certifies to said board that such 466
veteran's application for such federal educational assistance has been 467
denied or withdrawn, said board of trustees shall waive the payment of 468
tuition in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. 469
[(2) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, "veteran tuition benefit" 470
means the portion of federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 471
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to be paid to The 472
University of Connecticut on behalf of a veteran that represents 473
payment for tuition. Such portion shall be calculated by multiplying (i) 474
the total amount of such federal educational assistance to be paid to The 475
University of Connecticut on behalf of such veteran by (ii) an amount 476
obtained by dividing (I) the actual tuition charged by The University of 477
Connecticut to such veteran by (II) the sum of the actual tuition and fees 478
charged by The University of Connecticut to such veteran. 479
(B) Said board of trustees shall waive the payment of tuition in excess 480
of the veteran tuition benefit at The University of Connecticut for such 481
veteran.] 482
(g) Said board of trustees shall set aside from its anticipated tuition 483 Committee Bill No. 5544
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revenue, an amount not less than that required by the board of 484
governors' tuition policy established under subdivision (3) of subsection 485
(a) of section 10a-6. Such funds shall be used to provide tuition waivers, 486
tuition remissions, grants for educational expenses and student 487
employment for any undergraduate, graduate or professional student 488
who is enrolled as a full or part-time matriculated student in a degree-489
granting program, or enrolled in a precollege remedial program, and 490
who demonstrates substantial financial need. Said board may also set 491
aside from its anticipated tuition revenue an additional amount equal to 492
one per cent of said tuition revenue for financial assistance for students 493
who would not otherwise be eligible for financial assistance but who do 494
have a financial need as determined by the university in accordance 495
with this subsection. In determining such financial need, the university 496
shall exclude the value of equity in the principal residence of the 497
student's parents or legal guardians, or in the student's principal 498
residence if the student is not considered to be a dependent of his 499
parents or legal guardians and shall assess the earnings of a dependent 500
student at the rate of thirty per cent. 501
(h) The University of Connecticut Operating Fund shall be 502
reimbursed for the amount by which tuition and student fee waivers 503
granted under subsection (e) of this section exceed two and one-half per 504
cent of tuition and student fee revenue through an annual state 505
appropriation. The board of trustees shall request such an appropriation 506
and [said] such appropriation shall be based upon an estimate of tuition 507
and student fee revenue loss using tuition rates and student fees in effect 508
for the fiscal year in which such appropriation will apply. 509
Sec. 4. Subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 31-11ss of the 510
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 511
thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 512
(2) In connection with providing the assistance described in 513
subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, each liaison designated 514
pursuant to this subsection shall also assist a veteran served by the 515
program to obtain funding for the cost of attending a qualifying 516 Committee Bill No. 5544
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advanced manufacturing certificate program. Such funding may 517
include, but need not be limited to, (A) tuition and student fee waivers 518
under sections 10a-77, as amended by this act, and 10a-99, as amended 519
by this act, and (B) expenditures from the Workforce Training Authority 520
Fund under section 31-11jj. 521
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 10a-77
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 10a-99
Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 10a-105(d) to (h)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2021 31-11ss(c)(2)
HED Joint Favorable