Bill > A785

Introduced Session

This bill provides free undergraduate tuition and student fees at public institutions of higher education to the child, spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner of certain New Jersey veterans. The benefits will apply to a child, spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner of a New Jersey resident who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or a Reserve component, or the National Guard or a Reserve component, and who: (1) was killed in the line of duty during active military service; (2) has been declared to be a prisoner of war or a person missing in action by the United States Department of Defense; (3) has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service and has been declared by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected total or 100 percent permanent disability; or (4) has died from a service-connected disability after being honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service. The maximum tuition benefit under the bill for an eligible individual attending a public four-year institution of higher education will not exceed the total number of credits necessary to complete a baccalaureate degree program at the institution, as determined by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). The maximum tuition benefit for an eligible individual attending a county college will not exceed the total number of credits necessary to complete an associate degree program at the college, as determined by HESAA. In order for a child, spouse, or partner of a veteran to be eligible for benefits under the bill, the following conditions must be met: (1) the veteran was a resident of New Jersey at the time of entry into active duty; (2) the spouse, partner, or child is a resident of New Jersey; (3) the spouse, partner, or child has been accepted to pursue a course of undergraduate study at a public institution of higher education and is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at that institution; and (4) the spouse, partner, or child has applied for all available State and federal student grants and scholarships for which he is eligible. The child of a veteran must be between the ages of 17 and 26 to be eligible for benefits under the bill. In the case of a spouse, civil union partner, or domestic partner of a veteran, eligibility for benefits is limited to a period of 10 years from the date of the death, determination of permanent and total disability, or determination of prisoner of war or missing in action status of the veteran. A veteran's spouse or partner is ineligible for benefits upon a remarriage or entry into a new civil union or domestic partnership. The bill provides that HESAA, in consultation with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, will develop procedures to determine the eligibility of an applicant for benefits. The State will reimburse a public institution of higher education for the cost of tuition and student fees that have been waived for each eligible spouse, partner, or child of a veteran pursuant to the bill's provisions.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Bob Andrzejczak (D)*,  Daniel Benson (D)*,  Joe Danielsen (D)*,  Wayne DeAngelo (D)*,  R. Bruce Land (D)*,  Vincent Mazzeo (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (on 01/09/2018)