Researcher: JC Page 1 4/7/21
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5544
AN ACT CONCERNING FEE WAIVERS FOR VETERANS
ATTENDING PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
SUMMARY
This bill expands the state’s public higher education tuition waiver
program for eligible veterans to include a student fee waiver. It
requires the regional community-technical colleges, the Connecticut
State Universities (CSUs), and UConn to waive any student fee amount
in excess of the federal educational assistance received by the veteran,
similar to the eligible veteran tuition waiver in current law. (The bill
does not specify what constitutes “student fees”; presumably, these are
fees such as student activity fees.)
Additionally, the bill adds student fee waivers to the state
reimbursement calculation for community colleges, CSUs, and UConn.
Under current law, these institutions receive an annual state
reimbursement appropriation for the amount that eligible veteran
tuition waivers exceed (1) 5% of tuition revenue for the community
colleges and (2) 2.5% of tuition revenue for the CSUs and UConn. The
bill extends the state reimbursement amount to include student
waivers and tuition waivers, when the amount of these waivers
exceeds the above specified percentages of tuition and student fee
revenue for the respective institutions.
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
BACKGROUND
Tuition Waivers for Veterans
By law, the state’s public colleges and universities must waive
tuition in excess of federal veterans’ benefit via the post-9/11 GI bill 2021HB-05544-R000296-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JC Page 2 4/7/21
for eligible veterans who are accepted at an approved institution and
live in the state at the time of the acceptance. The tuition waiver
applies at the regional community-technical colleges, CSUS, and
UConn and covers the cost of tuition for credit-bearing undergraduate
and graduate programs. The law defines “tuition” as a direct charge
for institutional programs, which is clearly delineated from other fees
(CGS § 10a-26(a)(2)). It does not apply to other charges or fees, such as
student activity fees and room and board (CGS §§ 10a-77(e), 10a-99(e)
& 10a-105(f)).
This benefit applies to (1) wartime veterans and (2) veterans
discharged under conditions other than dishonorable or for bad
conduct and have a “qualifying condition” (i.e., a diagnosis of
posttraumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, or who have
disclosed a military sexual trauma experience) (CGS § 27-103).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 22 Nay 0 (03/22/2021)