Introduced Version HOUSE BILL No. 1170 _____ DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Citations Affected: IC 21-14-4. Synopsis: Tuition and educational cost exemptions. Repeals a provision concerning certain disability ratings, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and educational cost exemptions. Effective: July 1, 2024. Hamilton January 8, 2024, read first time and referred to Committee on Education. 2024 IN 1170—LS 6527/DI 143 Introduced Second Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly (2024) PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly. HOUSE BILL No. 1170 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning higher education. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: 1 SECTION 1. IC 21-14-4-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.112-2019, 2 SECTION 9, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 3 JULY 1, 2024]: Sec. 2. (a) Subject to this section and section 2.5 of this 4 chapter, subsection (b), an eligible applicant is entitled to enter, 5 remain, and receive instruction in a state educational institution upon 6 the same conditions, qualifications, and regulations prescribed for other 7 applicants for admission to or scholars in the state educational 8 institutions, without the payment of any educational costs for one 9 hundred twenty-four (124) semester credit hours in the state 10 educational institution. 11 (b) The maximum amount that an eligible applicant is exempt from 12 paying for a semester hour is an amount equal to the cost of an 13 undergraduate semester credit hour at the state educational institution 14 in which the eligible applicant enrolls. 15 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or another 16 law, a change in the criteria for or the amount of an exemption awarded 17 under this chapter enacted in the 2011 session of the general assembly 2024 IN 1170—LS 6527/DI 143 2 1 applies only to an individual who qualifies for an exemption under this 2 chapter because of a father or mother (or in the case of section 1(a)(1) 3 of this chapter, a related member) who enlisted or otherwise initially 4 served in the armed forces of the United States after June 30, 2011. 5 SECTION 2. IC 21-14-4-2.5 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE JULY 6 1, 2024]. Sec. 2.5. (a) This section applies to an individual who 7 qualifies as an eligible applicant under section 1(a)(3) of this chapter 8 because the individual's father or mother: 9 (1) enlisted or otherwise initially served in the armed forces of the 10 United States after June 30, 2011; and 11 (2) suffered a disability as determined by the United States 12 Department of Veterans Affairs. 13 (b) This section does not apply to an individual who: 14 (1) is an eligible applicant under section 1(a)(3) of this chapter; 15 and 16 (2) qualifies as an eligible applicant under section 1(a)(1) or 17 1(a)(2) of this chapter. 18 (c) Subject to subsection (d) and section 2(b) of this chapter, the 19 eligible applicant is entitled to a reduction in the educational costs that 20 would otherwise apply as follows: 21 (1) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as 22 determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs 23 with a rating of eighty percent (80%) or more, the individual is 24 entitled to a one hundred percent (100%) reduction in education 25 costs. 26 (2) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as 27 determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs 28 with a rating of less than eighty percent (80%), the individual is 29 entitled to a reduction in education costs equal to the sum of: 30 (A) twenty percent (20%); plus 31 (B) the disability rating of the individual's father or mother. 32 (d) The latest disability rating determined by the United States 33 Department of Veterans Affairs for an individual's father or mother 34 shall be used to compute the percentage by which education costs are 35 reduced under this section. If the disability rating of the individual's 36 father or mother changes after the beginning of an academic semester, 37 quarter, or other period for which educational costs have been reduced 38 under this section, the change in disability rating shall be applied 39 beginning with the immediately following academic semester, quarter, 40 or other period. 2024 IN 1170—LS 6527/DI 143