173.900. Combat veteran defined--tuition limit for combat veterans, procedure.
Combat veteran defined--tuition limit for combat veterans, procedure.
173.900. 1. This act* shall be known and may be cited as the"Missouri Returning Heroes' Education Act".
2. For the purpose of this section, the term "combat veteran" shallmean a person who served in armed combat in the military after September11, 2001, and to whom the following criteria shall apply:
(1) The veteran was a Missouri resident when first entering themilitary; and
(2) The veteran was discharged from military service under honorableconditions.
3. All public institutions of higher education that receive any statefunds appropriated by the general assembly shall limit the amount oftuition such institutions charge to combat veterans to fifty dollars percredit hour, as long as the veteran achieves and maintains a cumulativegrade point average of at least two and one-half on a four-point scale, orits equivalent. The tuition limitation shall only be applicable if thecombat veteran is enrolled in a program leading to a certificate, or anassociate or baccalaureate degree. The period during which a combatveteran is eligible for a tuition limitation under this section shallexpire at the end of the ten-year period beginning on the date of suchveteran's last discharge from service.
4. The coordinating board for higher education shall ensure that allapplicable institutions of higher education in this state comply with theprovisions of this section and may promulgate rules for the efficientimplementation of this section.
5. If a combat veteran is eligible to receive financial assistanceunder any other federal or state student aid program, public or private,the full amount of such aid shall be reported to the board by theinstitution and the veteran. The tuition limitation under this sectionshall be provided after all other federal and state aid for which theveteran is eligible has been applied, and no combat veteran shall receivemore than the actual cost of attendance when the limitation is combinedwith other aid made available to such veteran.
6. Each institution may report to the board the amount of tuitionwaived in the previous fiscal year under the provisions of this act*. Thisinformation may be included in each institution's request forappropriations to the board for the following year. The board may includethis information in its appropriations recommendations to the governor andthe general assembly. The general assembly may reimburse institutions forthe cost of the waiver for the previous year as part of the operatingbudget. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to deny a combatveteran a tuition limitation if the general assembly does not appropriatemoney for reimbursement to an institution.
7. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in thissection shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject toall of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and ifany of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536,RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul arule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemakingauthority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall beinvalid and void.
(L. 2008 H.B. 1678 merged with S.B. 830)*"This act" (H.B. 1678, 2008) contained numerous sections. Consult Disposition of Sections table for a definitive listing.