| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to tuition waivers; providing a short |
| 3 | title; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; requiring state |
| 4 | universities and community colleges to waive a percentage |
| 5 | of the in-state tuition rate for veterans who meet |
| 6 | specified criteria; providing a percentage cap on the |
| 7 | number of required credit hours for which a tuition waiver |
| 8 | may be received; providing an effective date. |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Veterans' Tuition |
| 13 | Assistance Act." |
| 14 | Section 2. Subsection (11) is added to section 1009.26, |
| 15 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 16 | 1009.26 Fee waivers.-- |
| 17 | (11) A state university or community college shall waive |
| 18 | 50 percent of the in-state tuition rate for a person who: |
| 19 | (a) Is a wartime veteran as defined in s. 1.01(14); |
| 20 | (b) Received an honorable discharge; |
| 21 | (c) Is enrolled as a full-time, part-time, or summer- |
| 22 | school student in any vocational or career education course or |
| 23 | undergraduate program that terminates in a degree or |
| 24 | certificate; |
| 25 | (d) Is a resident of this state at the time he or she |
| 26 | applies for the waiver and was a resident of this state for 1 |
| 27 | year prior to such application; and |
| 28 | (e) Submits to the state university or the community |
| 29 | college the DD-214 form issued at the time of separation from |
| 30 | service or military orders or other documentation issued |
| 31 | regarding return from active duty as defined in s. 250.01(1). |
| 32 |
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| 33 | Such a waiver shall be applicable for 110 percent of the number |
| 34 | of required credit hours of the degree or certificate program |
| 35 | for which the student is enrolled. |
| 36 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |