HCS HB 2062 & 1518 -- MILITARY FAMILIES AND TUITION GRANTS FOR
VETERANS' SURVIVORS

SPONSOR:  Day (Pearce)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Veterans by a vote of 11 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding members of the
military and their families.  In its main provisions, the
substitute:

(1)  Adds the chairman of the Missouri Veterans Commission to the
Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission and
clarifies that the commission's duties include developing
policies and methods to improve the prosperity and employment
opportunities of retired military members and the families of
former military members;

(2)  Specifies that the chair of the Missouri Military
Preparedness and Enhancement Commission will be an ex officio
member of the Missouri Veterans Commission and the enhancement
commission will help veterans who are legal residents of
Missouri;

(3)  Allows a person in federal service who is eligible to
register, but has not registered, to vote in any election.
Currently, a person in federal service can only vote in a federal
election;

(4)  Allows a military dependent who has completed an accredited
prekindergarten or kindergarten program in another state to enter
kindergarten or first grade even if the child has not reached the
required age for Missouri schools by August 1;

(5)  Requires the State Board of Education to establish a rule to
allow the issuance of a provisional teacher's certificate before
the completion of a background check to the spouse of a military
member who holds a teacher's certificate in another state that
requires a background check and who has relocated within the last
year;

(6)  Allows school districts to accept a course in government
completed in another state when a student transfers to a Missouri
high school in ninth to twelfth grade to satisfy the state's
graduation requirement;

(7)  Allows the spouse and children of a soldier who is killed in
action after September 11, 2001, or who becomes 80% disabled as
the result of an injury sustained in combat action after
September 11, 2001, to receive an educational grant for tuition
at a public or private college or university in Missouri.  The
Coordinating Board of Higher Education will award up to 25 grants
annually.  If the waiting list of eligible survivors exceeds 50,
the board can ask the General Assembly to increase the number of
grants it is authorized to award.  The tuition grant cannot
exceed what is charged a resident by the University of
Missouri-Columbia.  The veteran must have been a Missouri
resident when first entering military service or at the time of
death in order for his or her survivors to receive this grant.
In addition to the full cost of tuition, the grant includes
$2,000 per semester for room and board and the actual cost of
books up to $500 per semester.  Children are eligible to receive
the scholarship until age 25.  Spouses are eligible until age 45.
No eligible student will receive a grant for more than 100% of
the tuition costs when combined with other similar funds given to
the student;

(8)  Renames the Guard at Home Program to the Hero at Home
Program and extends the program to cover the first year after
discharge from deployment, to cover reservists, and to cover
situations in which an individual cannot return to his or her
previous employment;

(9)  Requires the Department of Higher Education to establish a
rule ensuring that resident tuition continues to be available to
the spouse and dependents of any military family who remain in
Missouri after the military member has retired, died, or been
reassigned;

(10)  Requires the State Board of Education to pursue reciprocity
agreements with other states for the transfer of students who are
military dependents and specifies the contents of the agreements,
which focus on the granting of credit;

(11)  Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education to facilitate agreements between school districts and
military installations to address strategies to assist children
in transition to Missouri schools;

(12)  Specifies that certain military dependents will be eligible
to enroll full time in courses through the Missouri Virtual
School; and

(13)  Allows school districts to establish course credit and
other policies to assist military dependents in meeting
graduation requirements.

The provisions of the substitute regarding tuition grants will
expire six years from the effective date.

The substitute contains an emergency clause except for the
provisions regarding membership in the Missouri Preparedness and
Enhancement Commission and the renaming of the Guard at Home
Program.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $223,424
to $377,110 to Unknown in FY 2009, $416,847 to $733,439 to
Unknown in FY 2010, and $605,038 to $1,094,172 to Unknown in
FY 2011.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters of House Bill 2062 say that a member of
the Missouri Veterans Commission on the Missouri Military
Preparedness and Enhancement Commission will help the enhancement
commission in the development of long-term prosperity, not only
of the military, but veterans in this state.  Students who are
military dependents have many obstacles trying to complete their
elementary and secondary education requirements, and the bill
will help them reach their educational goals without being
penalized by inflexible bureaucratic policies.  The bill will
help the Guard at Home Program by expanding the time period in
which guard and reservists can apply for the workforce
development services they need after serving on active duty.

Supporters of House Bill 1518 say that the bill will give a
little help to those people whose parents or spouses have given
the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Testifying for HB 2062 were Representatives Pearce and Witte; and
Division of Workforce Development, Department of Economic
Development.

Testifying for HB 1518 were Representative Cunningham (145);
Dewey Riehn, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States,
Missouri Chapter; Ernie Lee, Missouri Association of Veterans
Organizations and Military Officers Association of America, State
Council; and Missouri Veterans Commission.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm