Bill Text: NJ S1455 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides veterans with up to 60 credits tuition-free at county college serving county of residence.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee [S1455 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1455-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Corrado
SYNOPSIS
Provides veterans with up to 60 credits tuition-free at county college serving county of residence.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning tuition benefits for veterans and supplementing chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a As used in this section, "veteran" means a citizen and resident of this State who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, and who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service.
b. A veteran who has been accepted to pursue a course of study at the New Jersey county college serving the veteran's county of residence, and who is enrolled as a student in good standing at that county college, shall be eligible to receive up to 60 credits tuition-free provided that:
(1) the veteran has applied for all available State student grants and scholarships and all available federal student grants and scholarships for which the veteran is eligible; and
(2) the veteran has applied for tuition benefits available through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for which the veteran is eligible under the "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008," Pub.L.110-252 (38 U.S.C. s.3301 et seq.), except that such application shall not be required in the case of a tuition benefit transfer by the veteran as permitted by federal law.
In the event that the county college in which the veteran is enrolled awards the veteran any credits for military experience, those credits shall count toward the maximum number of 60 credits tuition-free.
c. The financial aid office of the county college in which the veteran is enrolled shall advise the veteran of any available State and federal student grants and scholarships for which the veteran may be eligible.
d. Nothing in this section shall preclude a county college from requiring the payment of other fees, subject to approval by the State Treasurer, for veterans who are eligible for tuition benefits pursuant to the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year beginning after the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that veterans who are enrolled in good standing at the New Jersey county college serving their county of residence will be eligible to receive up to 60 credits tuition-free. For purposes of the bill, a "veteran" is a citizen and resident of the State who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component, and was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances.
In order to be eligible for tuition benefits under the bill, the veteran is required to apply for all available State and federal student grants and scholarships for which he is eligible, as well as any tuition benefits for which he is eligible under the federal Post-9/11 GI Bill (38 U.S.C. s.3301 et seq.). If the county college in which the veteran is enrolled awards the veteran any credits for military experience, those credits will count toward the maximum number of 60 credits tuition-free.
