The bill establishes the National Guard Service Professional Qualification Scholarship Program, which will be administered by the College Student Aid Commission. This program is designed to provide scholarships to members of the Iowa National Guard who are enrolled in educational programs leading to credentials approved by the adjutant general. The bill outlines eligibility criteria for applicants, including residency requirements, completion of initial active duty training, and maintenance of satisfactory academic progress. It also specifies that scholarship awards will not exceed the total cost charged by the educational institution attended by the national guard member.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 256.210 to allow unencumbered or unobligated funds appropriated for the national guard service scholarship program to be carried over into the following fiscal year for the new scholarship program. The adjutant general is tasked with certifying the eligibility of applicants and the amounts of scholarship awards, and the College Student Aid Commission is responsible for disbursing funds to the educational institutions based on this certification. The bill also requires the adjutant general to maintain a list of approved educational programs and defines "credential" to exclude associate degrees and higher.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.210