PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1451 PRINTER'S NO. 1621
No. 1043 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY D. WHITE, GREENLEAF, KASUNIC, LAVALLE, FONTANA,
CORMAN, ROBBINS, BOSCOLA, COSTA, PUNT, MUSTO, RAFFERTY,
M. WHITE, MADIGAN, WENGER, WAUGH, PIPPY, O'PAKE, TARTAGLIONE,
MELLOW, WONDERLING, ERICKSON, LEMMOND, KITCHEN, BROWNE,
STACK, REGOLA, PICCOLA, C. WILLIAMS AND ARMSTRONG,
JANUARY 19, 2006
SENATOR D. WHITE, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
AS AMENDED, MARCH 21, 2006
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for tuition costs
3 and fees for children and spouses of deceased soldiers.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 3503 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 3503. Tuition [credit] waiver for children and spouses of
9 deceased soldiers.
10 (a) [General rule] Children.--The children of members of the
11 Pennsylvania National Guard who were killed or die as a result
12 of injuries received while in Federal or State active duty [IN <--
13 STATE ACTIVE DUTY] PERFORMING DUTY IN AN OFFICIAL DUTY STATUS
14 AUTHORIZED UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE LAW shall be entitled to a
15 [50% tuition credit] waiver of all tuition costs and fees
16 remaining after receipt of other scholarships and education
1 benefits and Federal and State grants, INCLUDING, BUT NOT <--
2 LIMITED TO, EDUCATIONAL GRATUITIES FOR WHICH THE CHILDREN ARE OR
3 MAY BE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE ACT OF DECEMBER 16, 1998 (P.L.980,
4 NO.129), KNOWN AS THE POLICE OFFICER, FIREFIGHTER, CORRECTION
5 EMPLOYEE AND NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER CHILD BENEFICIARY EDUCATION
6 ACT, at all Pennsylvania State-owned colleges or universities
7 [or], approved trade schools, STATE-RELATED INSTITUTIONS OF <--
8 HIGHER LEARNING OR COMMUNITY COLLEGES in this Commonwealth for a
9 period not exceeding eight semesters or four years, whichever is
10 greater. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES <--
11 UNDER THIS SECTION, THE MEMBER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL
12 GUARD MUST HAVE BEEN A BONA FIDE RESIDENT OF PENNSYLVANIA AT THE
13 TIME OF HIS DEATH AND THE MEMBER'S CHILDREN MUST BE BONA FIDE
14 RESIDENTS OF PENNSYLVANIA, ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENT TUITION AT THE
15 INSTITUTION TO WHICH THEY HAVE APPLIED, AT THE TIME THEY APPLY
16 FOR THE TUITION AND FEE WAIVER.
17 (a.1) Spouses.--The spouse of a member of the Pennsylvania
18 National Guard who was killed or dies as a result of injuries
19 received while in Federal or State active duty PERFORMING DUTY <--
20 IN AN OFFICIAL DUTY STATUS AUTHORIZED UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE LAW
21 shall be entitled to a waiver of all tuition costs and fees
22 remaining after receipt of other scholarships and education
23 benefits and Federal and State grants at any Pennsylvania State-
24 owned college or university or approved trade school, APPROVED <--
25 TRADE SCHOOL, STATE-RELATED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING OR
26 COMMUNITY COLLEGE in this Commonwealth for a period not
27 exceeding eight semesters or four years, whichever is greater. A
28 spouse shall be eligible for a waiver of all tuition costs and
29 fees remaining after receipt of other scholarships and education
30 benefits and Federal and State grants under this subsection for
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1 a period not to exceed ten years from the date the member is
2 killed or dies as a result of injuries while in Federal or State
3 active duty or until the spouse remarries, whichever occurs
4 first. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES <--
5 UNDER THIS SECTION, THE MEMBER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL
6 GUARD MUST HAVE BEEN A BONA FIDE RESIDENT OF PENNSYLVANIA AT THE
7 TIME OF HIS DEATH AND THE MEMBER'S SPOUSE MUST BE A BONA FIDE
8 RESIDENT OF PENNSYLVANIA, ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENT TUITION AT THE
9 INSTITUTION TO WHICH THE SPOUSE HAS APPLIED, AT THE TIME THE
10 SPOUSE APPLIES FOR THE TUITION AND FEE WAIVER.
11 (b) Department to administer program.--The department shall
12 adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this
13 section and shall administer the tuition [credit] cost and fee
14 waiver program established under this section.
15 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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