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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
tuition waiver; veterans; felonies; eligibility
Purpose
Removes, from ineligibility for a tuition waiver under the category of military personnel with a Purple Heart and a disability rating of at least 50 percent, a person who has been convicted of a class 6 felony.
Background
Arizona public universities and CCDs must grant a tuition waiver to: 1) a verified child or spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic or member of the National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces who was killed or died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while residing or stationed in Arizona; 2) a National Guard member who received a Purple Heart citation on or after September 11, 2001; 3) an Arizona National Guard member who was medically discharged due to an injury suffered during active duty, in training status or in response to a Governor-declared state of emergency; and 4) a U.S. Armed Forces member or former member who was residing or stationed in Arizona at the time of an injury that resulted in a Purple Heart citation and whose U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (U.S. VA) disability rating is at least 50 percent (military personnel with a Purple Heart and disability rating of at least 50 percent). A tuition waiver recipient who is a child of the outlined individuals must be 30 years old or younger and a recipient who is a spouse must not be remarried. The tuition waiver is limited to 64 community college credit hours and a total number of credits equal to the number required for a baccalaureate degree at a public university. Additionally, a person applying under the category of military personnel with a Purple Heart and disability rating of at least 50 percent is ineligible if the person is convicted of a felony (A.R.S. § 15-1808). There are six felony classes in Arizona (A.R.S. § 13-601).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Narrows, to apply only to a person who has been convicted of a class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 felony, the determination that a person convicted of a felony is ineligible for a tuition waiver under the category of military personnel with a Purple Heart and disability rating of at least 50 percent.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
MAPS 2/14/22 DP 15-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/24/22 47-17-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 18, 2022
LB/MS/slp