Bill > SB067

This bill establishes a tuition waiver program for qualified dependents of veterans who have been killed in action, died in active service, are missing in action, are prisoners of war, died from a service-connected disability incurred during wartime, are rated 100% permanently disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or are deemed unemployable due to a service-connected disability. The program, to be implemented by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (the "Commission"), will require state colleges and universities to waive all tuition and mandatory fees for eligible dependents, including spouses, surviving spouses, partners in civil unions, surviving partners in civil unions, and children under 26 who were claimed as dependents on the veteran's tax return. To qualify, dependents must be accepted into a state college or university, complete either the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and maintain satisfactory academic standing. The waiver is limited to six years of enrollment, and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will be responsible for certifying eligibility and issuing a certificate of waiver to the dependent.