PRINTER'S NO. 2901
No. 2194 Session of 1972
INTRODUCED BY GALLAGHER, O'DONNELL, MURTHA, SHUPNIK, NEEDHAM,
WARGO, DeMEDIO, B. L. PARKER, GOODMAN, SHANE, VALICENTI,
PRENDERGAST, M. M. MULLEN and YAHNER, MAY 17, 1972
REFERRED TO MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, MAY 17, 1972
AN ACT
1 Providing scholarships for certain dependents of members of the
2 armed services who, while on active duty, are taken as
3 prisoners of war or are reported missing in action and for
4 qualified veterans who need financial assistance to complete
5 approved program of education and making an appropriation.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short Title.--This act shall be known and may be
9 cited as the "Veterans' Education Act of 1971."
10 Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act:
11 (1) "Qualified veterans" means any veteran who:
12 (i) Served on active duty for a period of more than one
13 hundred eighty days and part of which accrued after January 31,
14 1955 and who was discharged or released therefrom under
15 conditions other than dishonorable.
16 (ii) Was released or discharged from active duty after
17 January 31, 1955 for a service-connected disability.
18 (iii) Was a resident of Pennsylvania for at least twelve
19 months immediately preceding his service on active duty, has
1 continued to reside in Pennsylvania following his discharge or
2 release from active duty and continues to reside in Pennsylvania
3 during the period in which he is enrolled in an institution of
4 higher learning. The agency shall make the final determination
5 in all questions of residency.
6 (iv) Shall satisfactorily meet the qualification of
7 financial need as determined by uniform standards and procedures
8 to be established by the agency and to be determined without
9 regard to the financial status of their parents whenever the
10 agency finds that the applicant can not or may not expect
11 parental financial support towards the costs of education.
12 (2) "Qualified dependent" means the child of a member of the
13 armed services who served on active duty after January 31, 1955
14 and who (i) has been or is a prisoner of war or is reported as
15 missing in action; and (ii) was a resident of Pennsylvania for
16 at least twelve months preceding his service on active duty. The
17 term does not include the child of any such member of the armed
18 services who deserted, defected to the enemy, or has otherwise
19 been discharged under other than honorable conditions.
20 (3) "Approved program of education" means any degree or non-
21 degree curriculum or course of study to be pursued on a full-
22 time basis for a duration of at least two academic years or its
23 equivalent at an approved institution of higher learning.
24 (4) "Approved institution of higher learning" shall mean any
25 institution of higher learning approved by the agency.
26 Section 3. Scholarships for Veterans and Qualified
27 Dependents.--From the funds appropriated under this act and by
28 the General Assembly from time to time for the purposes of this
29 act, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is
30 hereby authorized to provide scholarships to qualified veterans
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1 and qualified dependents enrolled in approved programs of
2 education.
3 Section 4. Amount of Scholarship.--Scholarships awarded
4 under this act to cover full-time study shall not exceed, per
5 academic year, the tuition and fee charges at the institution of
6 higher learning at which the applicant is enrolled or twelve
7 hundred dollars ($1200), whichever is the lesser.
8 Section 5. Appropriation.--The sum of one million four
9 hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000), is hereby appropriated to
10 the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to be
11 transferred at the request of the agency and deposited in the
12 Higher Education Assistance Fund for the purpose and
13 administration of this act.
14 Section 6. Effective Date.--This act shall take effect
15 immediately.
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