PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2901 PRINTER'S NO. 3197
No. 2194 Session of 1972
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. GALLAGHER, O'DONNELL, MURTHA, SHUPNIK,
NEEDHAM, WARGO, DeMEDIO, B. L. PARKER, GOODMAN, SHANE,
VALICENTI, PRENDERGAST, M. M. MULLEN AND YAHNER, MAY 17, 1972
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 29, 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 , OR WHO WAS <--
16 (ii) Was released or discharged from active duty after <--
17 January 31, 1955 for a service-connected disability.
18 (iii) (II) Was a resident of Pennsylvania for at least <--
1 twelve months immediately preceding his service on active duty,
2 has continued to reside in Pennsylvania following his discharge
3 or release from active duty and continues to reside in
4 Pennsylvania during the period in which he is enrolled in an
5 institution of higher learning. The agency shall make the final
6 determination in all questions of residency.
7 (iv) (III) Shall satisfactorily meet the qualification of <--
8 financial need as determined by uniform standards and procedures
9 to be established by the agency and to be determined without
10 regard to the financial status of their parents whenever UNLESS <--
11 the agency finds that the applicant can not or may not expect IS <--
12 IN FACT RECEIVING parental financial support. towards the costs <--
13 of education.
14 (2) "Qualified dependent" means the child of a member of the
15 armed services who served on active duty after January 31, 1955
16 and who (i) has been or is a prisoner of war or is reported as
17 missing in action; and (ii) was a resident of Pennsylvania for
18 at least twelve months preceding his service on active duty. The
19 term does not include the child of any such member of the armed
20 services who deserted, defected to the enemy, or has otherwise
21 been discharged under other than honorable conditions.
22 (3) "Approved program of education" means any degree or non-
23 degree curriculum or course of study to be pursued on a full-
24 time basis for a duration of at least two academic years or its
25 equivalent at an approved institution of higher learning.
26 (4) "Approved institution of higher learning" shall mean any
27 institution of higher learning approved by the agency.
28 Section 3. Scholarships for Veterans and Qualified
29 Dependents.--From the funds appropriated under this act and by
30 the General Assembly from time to time for the purposes of this
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1 act, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is
2 hereby authorized to provide scholarships to qualified veterans
3 and qualified dependents enrolled in approved programs of
4 education.
5 Section 4. Amount of Scholarship.--Scholarships awarded
6 under this act to cover full-time study shall not exceed, per
7 academic year, the tuition and fee charges at the institution of
8 higher learning at which the applicant is enrolled or twelve
9 hundred dollars ($1200), whichever is the lesser.
10 Section 5. Appropriation.--The sum of one million four
11 hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000), is hereby appropriated to
12 the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to be
13 transferred at the request of the agency and deposited in the
14 Higher Education Assistance Fund for the purpose and
15 administration of this act.
16 Section 6. Effective Date.--This act shall take effect
17 immediately.
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