SLS 15RS-558 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 247
BY SENATOR JOHN SMITH
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
VETERANS. Provides for in-state tuition and fee rates for veterans and qualified
dependents enrolling in public postsecondary educational institutions. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:2137(F) and to repeal R.S. 17:2137(E), relative to tuition and fees for
3 veterans of the armed forces; to require that veterans and eligible dependents be
4 classified as residents for purposes of tuition and fees imposed by public institutions
5 of postsecondary education; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:2137(F) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง2137. Tuition fees for members of the armed forces and dependents and for certain
9 individuals who have served in the armed forces; resident
10 classification
11 * * *
12 F. Beginning July 1, 2015, a veteran of the United States Armed Forces,
13 and an eligible dependent of a veteran, shall be classified as a resident by every
14 Louisiana public institution of postsecondary education for purposes of the
15 imposition of tuition and fees, in accordance with the provisions of the federal
16 Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 and Title 38 of the
17 United States Code.
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 247
SLS 15RS-558 ORIGINAL
1 Section 2. R.S. 17:2137(E) is hereby repealed.
2 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
3 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
4 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
5 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
6 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 247 Original 2015 Regular Session John Smith
Present law, provides that members of the armed forces stationed in La. on active duty and
their dependents shall be entitled to resident classification for tuition amount purposes at
public postsecondary education institutions, without regard to length of time of residency
in the state.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that a student who is enrolled in or is applying for enrollment in a La.
public college or university, who resides in La. during such enrollment, who has served in
the U.S. Armed Forces as defined by federal law (10 U.S.C. 101(a)(4)), and who meets
certain other eligibility requirements, is entitled to resident classification for tuition amount
purposes, without regard to length of time of residency in the state. Further provides that
present law does not apply to tuition charged to a veteran eligible for benefits under the
Yellow Ribbon Program (Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33).
Present law further specifies that in addition to its other provisions, the student must meet
at least one of the following conditions:
(1)Has served on active duty for a continuous period of no less than two years, and
received an Honorable Discharge within one year of enrolling in a La. public college
or university.
(2)Is currently serving in a Reserve Component of the U.S. Armed Forces.
(3)Has been assigned a service-connected disability by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans
Affairs.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Proposed law provides that beginning July 1, 2015, a veteran of the United States Armed
Forces and an eligible dependent of a veteran shall be classified as a resident by every
Louisiana public institution of postsecondary education for tuition and fee purposes, in
accordance with the provisions of the federal Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability
Act of 2014 and Title 38 of the United States Code.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:2137(F); repeals R.S. 17:2137(E))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.