The proposed General Assembly Committee Bill No. 376 seeks to broaden eligibility for state and municipal veterans' benefits by eliminating the requirement of "service in time of war" for tuition waivers at regional community-technical colleges, the Connecticut State University System, and The University of Connecticut. The bill amends existing statutes by repealing the restrictive language and allows any veteran, as defined in section 27-103, who is domiciled in the state and accepted for admission to these institutions to receive tuition waivers. Additionally, the bill maintains other eligibility criteria for tuition waivers, such as provisions for dependents of military personnel declared missing in action or prisoners of war, and clarifies that "domiciled in this state" includes individuals who have been residents for less than one year.

Moreover, the bill modifies the criteria for adding points to civil service examination ratings for veterans and their spouses by removing the phrase "who served in time of war," thereby allowing more veterans to benefit from additional points based on their service and disability status. It also expands eligibility for temporary financial assistance to any veteran in need due to disability or service-related causes, regardless of wartime service, and allows assistance for dependents of service members who died on active duty. The bill updates language to be more inclusive and gender-neutral, and it repeals and replaces several sections of the general statutes to reflect these changes, ultimately aiming to enhance support for veterans and their families while simplifying existing laws.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 5-224, 7-415, 27-125, 27-140, 14-254, 27-76
VA Joint Favorable: 5-224, 7-415, 27-125, 27-140, 14-254, 27-76
File No. 36: 5-224, 7-415, 27-125, 27-140, 14-254, 27-76
APP Joint Favorable: 5-224, 7-415, 27-125, 27-140, 14-254, 27-76
FIN Joint Favorable: 5-224, 7-415, 27-125, 27-140, 14-254, 27-76