HCS SCS SB 830 -- MISSOURI RETURNING HEROES' EDUCATION ACT

SPONSOR:  Coleman (Day)

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

This substitute establishes the Missouri Returning Heroes'
Education Act which requires all public higher education
institutions which receive state funds appropriated by the
General Assembly to limit the tuition charged to combat veterans
for undergraduate studies to $50 per credit hour.  To qualify, a
veteran must have been a Missouri resident when first entering
the military, must have honorably served in armed combat after
September 11, 2001, and must maintain at least a 2.5 grade point
average on a 4.0 scale.  Eligibility for the reduced tuition will
expire 10 years from the date of the veteran's discharge.  The
veteran and the institution must report to the Coordinating Board
of Higher Education within the Department of Higher Education any
other eligible financial assistance, and the veteran cannot
receive more than the actual cost of attendance from all
assistance.

The substitute allows an institution to report to the board the
amount of tuition waived in the previous year and include that
data in its request for appropriations for the following year.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that many veterans returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan are having trouble paying for their
education.  The bill makes state schools sacrifice a little
tuition for those who have sacrificed a lot.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Coleman; and Bob Weber.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill provided information
regarding the fiscal impact of the bill on certain institutions.

Testifying on the bill was University of Central Missouri.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm