SB 955 — Higher educational institutions, public; tuition grants, Virginia National Guard.

SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2023 SESSION CHAPTER E638 An Act to amend and reenact §§ 23.1-508 and 23.1-610 of the Code of Virginia, relating to institutions of higher education;

R O [S 955] Approved LMarch L26, 2023 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

E § 23.1-508.

DA. employers in the Commonwealth or authorities controlling federal installations or agencies located in the Commonwealth for the purpose of providing reduced rate tuition charges for the employees of such employers or authorities who are non-Virginia students at such institutions when such employers or authorities assume the liability for paying, to the extent permitted by federal law, the tuition charges for such employees.

Public institutions of higher education may enter into special arrangement contracts with employers in the Commonwealth or authorities controlling federal installations or agencies located in the Commonwealth for the purpose of providing reduced rate tuition charges for the employees of such employers or authorities who are non-Virginia students at such institutions when such employers or such employees.ume the liability for paying, to the extent permitted by federal law, the tuition charges for B.

Such special arrangement contracts may be (i) for group instruction in facilities provided by the employer or federal authority or in the institution's facilities or (ii) on a student-by-studenBstudent-by-student basis for specific employment-related programs.

5C. reviewed for legal sufficiency by the Office of the Attorney General prior to signing.

AllSpecial tuitEonarrangement chargescontracts agreedare tovalid byfor thea publicperiod institutionsnot shall be at least equal to in-stateexceed tuitiontwo years and shall be grantedreviewed onlyfor bylegal thesufficiency institutionby with which the employerOffice orof the federalAttorney authoritiesGeneral haveprior ato validsigning. contract for students for whom the employer or federal authority is paying the tuition charges.

All tuition charges agreed to by the public institutions shall be at least equal to in-state tuition and shall be granted only by the institution with which the employer or the federal authorities have a valid contract for students for whom the employer or federal authority is paying the tuition charges.

Subject to the restrictions provided in subdivisions 1, 2, and 3, public institutions of higher education may enter into special arrangement contracts with the Department of Military Affairs for the receivingpurpose stateof tuitionproviding assistancereduced pursuantrate totuition §charges 23.1-610.memberfor any member of the Virginia National Guard 1.receiving state tuition assistance pursuant to § 23.1-610.

1.

Additionally, a non-Virginia student shall be eligible to receive reduced rate tuition pursuant to this subsection for no more than two years.

shall be eligible to receive reduced rate tuition pursuant to this subsection for no 3.

remainingA. obligation of two years, (ii) has satisfactorily completed required initial active duty service, (iii) is satisfactorily performing duty in accordance with regulations of the National Guard, and (iv) is enrolled in any course or program at any public institution of higher education or accredited nonprofit private institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate or graduate education and not to provide religious training or theological education is eligible for a grant in the amount of the difference between the full cost of tuition and any other educational benefits for which he is eligible as a member of the National Guard.

Any individual who (i) is a member of the Virginia National Guard and has a minimum remaining obligation of two years, (ii) has satisfactorily completed required initial active duty service, (iii) is satisfactorily performing duty in accordance with regulations of the National Guard, and (iv) is enrolled in any course or program at any public institution of higher education or accredited nonprofit private institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate or graduate education and not to provide religious training or theological education is eligible for a grant in the amount of the difference between the full cost of tuition and any other educational benefits for which he is eligible as a member of the National Guard.

If applications for grants exceed the amount of funding appropriated, the Department of Military Affairs (the Department) shall issue grants to eligible recipients based on the order in which applications were received.t)received. shall issue B.

ApplicationB. for a grant shall be made to the Department of Military Affairs (the Department) no of 2 later than 30 days prior to the beginning of an academic semester.

TheApplication Department shall determine whether an applicant is eligible for thea grant asshall describedbe inmade subsectionto Athe andDepartment communicateof acceptanceMilitary andAffairs any(the additionalDepartment) requirements determined by the Department in writing no later than 30 days afterprior receiptto the beginning of an application.academic semester.

The Department shall determine whether an applicant is eligible for the grant as described in subsection A and communicate acceptance of 2 and any additional requirements determined by the Department in writing no later than 30 days after receipt of an application.