ENROLLED 2024 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 385 BY REPRESENTATIVES OWEN, CHASSION, AND KNOX 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 29:288(A)(1) and (B)(1), relative to survivor's education 3 benefits; to provide for education benefits for survivors of qualified veterans; and to 4 provide for related matters. 5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 6 Section 1. R.S. 29:288(A)(1) and (B)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read 7 as follows: 8 ยง288. Educational benefits for children, spouses, and surviving spouses of veterans 9 A.(1) For the purpose of this Subsection, "qualified veteran" shall mean a 10 member of the armed forces of the United States of America who: 11 (a) Was either killed in action, died in active service from other causes, is 12 missing in action, is a prisoner of war, died as a result of a service-connected 13 disability incurred during a wartime period as defined in R.S. 29:251.2, or who, prior 14 to death, was rated ninety to one hundred percent service-connected disabled by the 15 United States Department of Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule 16 or was determined by the department to be unemployable as a result of a 17 service-connected disability, and who was a resident of Louisiana for a period of not 18 less than twelve months immediately preceding entrance into service or for a period 19 not less than twenty-four twelve months prior to the veteran's death or who had been 20 permanently assigned and reported for duty to an active, National Guard, or Reserve 21 installation or assignment in the state of Louisiana. Page 1 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HB NO. 385 ENROLLED 1 (b) Is rated ninety to one hundred percent service-connected disabled by the 2 United States Department of Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule 3 or is determined by the department to be unemployable as a result of a 4 service-connected disability and has been a resident of Louisiana for a period of not 5 less than twenty-four twelve months prior to the veteran's child's admission into a 6 program of education at a public postsecondary institution. 7 * * * 8 B.(1) For the purpose of this Subsection, "qualified veteran" shall mean a 9 member of the armed forces of the United States of America who was killed in 10 action, died in active service from other causes, is missing in action, is a prisoner of 11 war, died as a result of a service-connected disability incurred during a wartime 12 period as defined in R.S. 29:251.2, or who, prior to death, was rated ninety to one 13 hundred percent service-connected disabled by the United States Department of 14 Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule or was determined by the 15 department to be unemployable as a result of a service-connected disability, and was 16 a resident of Louisiana for a period of not less than twelve months immediately 17 preceding entrance into service or for a period not less than twenty-four twelve 18 months prior to death or who had been permanently assigned and reported for duty 19 to an active, National Guard, or Reserve installation or assignment in the state of 20 Louisiana. 21 * * * SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: Page 2 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.