Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 35 (2017GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Escamilla, L.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/20/2017

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• amends the federal programs to which the Veterans Tuition Gap Program (the program) relates;
• amends the institutions of higher education in which a qualifying veteran using the program must be enrolled;
• removes the requirement that a qualifying veteran using the program qualify for a federal program; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

VETERANS TUITION GAP PROGRAM ACT AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Luz Escamilla
House Sponsor: 
Paul Ray
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends access to the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ amends the federal programs to which the Veterans Tuition Gap Program (the
program) relates;
▸ amends the institutions of higher education in which a qualifying veteran using the
program must be enrolled;
▸ removes the requirement that a qualifying veteran using the program qualify for a
federal program; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53B-13b-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 141
53B-13b-103
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 87
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53B-13b-102
 is amended to read:
53B-13b-102.
Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) "Federal program" means [
the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
2008, Pub. L. No. 110-252.
] 
a veterans educational assistance program established in:
(a) United States Code, Title 10, Chapter 1606, Educational Assistance for Members of
the Selected Reserve;
(b) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 30, All-Volunteer Force Educational
Assistance Program;
(c) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 31, Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans
with Service-Connected Disabilities;
(d) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 32, Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational
Assistance; or
(e) United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 33, Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.
(2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means [
a
]:
[
(a) credit-granting higher education institution within the state system of higher
education; or
]
[
(b) an institution of higher learning, as defined in the federal program, that is located in
the state.
]
(a) an institution of higher education listed in Subsection 
53B-2-101
(1); or
(b) a private, nonprofit, postsecondary institution located in Utah that is accredited by a
recognized accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education.
(3) "Program" means the Veterans Tuition Gap Program created in this chapter.
(4) (a) "Qualifying military veteran" means a veteran, as defined in Section 
68-3-12.5
,
who:
(i) is a resident student under Section 
53B-8-102
 and rules of the board;
(ii) is accepted into an institution and enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's
degree;
[
(iii) has qualified for the federal program;
]
[
(iv)
] 
(iii) (A)
 has [
maximized
] 
exhausted
 the federal benefit under [
the
] 
a
 federal
program; 
or
(B) demonstrates that the veteran no longer qualifies to receive federal benefits under
any federal program;
 and
[
(v)
] 
(iv)
 has not completed a bachelor's degree.
(b) "Qualifying military veteran" does not include a family member.
Section 2. Section 
53B-13b-103
 is amended to read:
53B-13b-103.
Establishment of the Veterans Tuition Gap Program.
There is established a Veterans Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military
veterans with tuition assistance at institutions of higher education when
:
(1)
 federal benefits under the federal program [
are no longer
] 
have been exhausted or
are not
 available
;
 and
(2)
 a qualifying military veteran has not finished a bachelor's degree 
and is in the final
year of a bachelor's degree program
.