§ 30-30-1 - Appropriations – Purposes.
SECTION 30-30-1
§ 30-30-1 Appropriations – Purposes.– The general assembly shall annually appropriate such a sum as may be necessaryout of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose ofcreating and maintaining a "dependents' education fund" from which shall bepaid in whole or in part the charges for the tuition and books of such of thesons, daughters, and surviving spouses of veterans who died as the result ofhostile action or a service connected disability arising out of active servicein the armed forces, or who died from any cause while such a disability was inexistence, or of those who are serving in the far east and had a legalresidence in this state at the time they were commissioned, warranted,enlisted, or inducted into the military or naval service of the United Statesand were either missing in action or are prisoners of war, provided that thenext of kin has not been advised by the armed forces that the serviceperson hasbeen released or is no longer classified as missing in action. The benefitsshall be extended to dependents who are attending or may attend the universityof Rhode Island, the Rhode Island college, or any institution of highereducation or technical/professional learning; the maximum aid granted shall notexceed the in-state tuition cost plus average cost of books of attending theuniversity of Rhode Island in that year, the costs to be yearly certified bythe board of governors of higher education to the administering agency;provided, any child dependent shall enter the institution while between theages of sixteen (16) and twenty-six (26); and provided, further, that the aidherein granted shall be available to that child for such period of time asshall equal the normal time for completing the courses regularly offered by theinstitution, but in no case more than four (4) years; and provided, further,that this chapter shall apply also to the children of those who are serving inthe far east, but did not have legal residence in this state at the time thosepersons were commissioned, warranted, enlisted, or inducted into the militaryor naval service of the United States; provided that those children haveresided in this state continuously for five (5) years and are otherwiseeligible, upon the presentation to the proper administering authority ofsufficient evidence that the parent qualifies the child to receive the benefitsunder this section; and provided, further, that as to surviving spouses thebenefits must be utilized within a period of ten (10) years from the dateeligibility is found or from the date of death of the spouse from whomeligibility is derived.