ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session

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HB 2745: tuition scholarships; spouses of veterans

Sponsor: Representative Blackman, LD 6

Committee on Education

Overview

Establishes the Spouses of Military Veterans Tuition Scholarship Fund (Fund). Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2023 to the Fund.

History

The Arizona  Board of Regents (ABOR) is the constitutionally created governing body of Arizona's three public universities (Ariz. const. art. 11, sec. 5). Statute tasks ABOR with exercising the powers necessary for the effective governance and administration of the institutions under its control, including authorizing each university to adopt regulations, policies, rules or measures deemed necessary for the universities' administration and governance (A.R.S. § 15-1626).

Currently, ABOR and a community college district must provide the following individuals a tuition waiver scholarship:

1) An eligible child or a spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic, National Guard member or United States Armed Forces member who was an Arizona resident or stationed in Arizona and who was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty;

2) An eligible member of the Arizona National Guard or United States Armed Forces member who received a Purple Heart citation; and

3) An eligible Arizona resident who is or was in foster care after turning 14 (A.R.S. §§ 15-1808, 15-1809.01).

Provisions

1. Establishes the Fund that consists of legislative appropriations and that is administered by ABOR. (Sec. 1)

2. Appropriates $10,000,000 from the GF in FY 2023 to the Fund. (Sec. 2)

3. States Fund monies are continuously appropriated and exempt from lapsing. (Sec. 1)

4. Instructs ABOR, subject to available monies, to use Fund monies to award tuition scholarships to any person who:

a) Enrolls in an in-state public university or a community college;

b) Is the spouse of an honorably discharged United States Armed Forces veteran;

c) Is entitled to classification as an in-state student;

d) Is an Arizona resident at the time of applying for a tuition scholarship and continues to be an Arizona resident while receiving a tuition scholarship;

e) Completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for each year that the person receives a tuition scholarship;

f) Complies with the standards of satisfactory academic progress as established by the university or community college; and

g) Completes a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act release form for each university or community college in which the person is enrolled. (Sec. 1)

5. Details the process to verify that a person's spouse is an honorably discharged United States Armed Forces veteran. (Sec. 1)

6. Allows an eligible person to apply to ABOR for a tuition scholarship. (Sec. 1)

7. Directs ABOR to award a tuition scholarship in an amount equal to the tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university or community college, reduced by the amount of any federal aid scholarships, public grants and other financial gifts, grants or aid received by the person. (Sec. 1)

8. Requires ABOR to verify that a person satisfies eligibility requirements before awarding a tuition scholarship. (Sec. 1)

9. Prohibits ABOR from awarding a person who is no longer eligible a subsequent tuition scholarship until the person submits documentation showing that they are eligible. (Sec. 1)

10. Stipulates a tuition scholarship may only be used:

a) For a maximum of four years or eight semesters;

b) For a certificate or associate or baccalaureate degree; and

c) To pay tuition and mandatory fees. (Sec. 1).

11. Specifies tuition scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. (Sec. 1)

12. Prohibits ABOR from awarding a tuition scholarship to an eligible person if there are insufficient Fund monies. (Sec. 1)

13. Permits ABOR to adopt rules for Fund administration. (Sec. 1)

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                        HB 2745

Initials CH       Page 0 Education

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