This bill amends several sections of Nebraska's Revised Statutes to modify the requirements and provisions related to tuition waivers for dependents of veterans and first responders. Specifically, it establishes that dependents of veterans are eligible for tuition waivers if they meet certain criteria, including residency requirements and exhaustion of benefits from the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program. The bill also introduces a reimbursement mechanism, whereby the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education will reimburse state colleges and universities for fifty percent of the tuition waivers granted, starting July 1, 2028, subject to available appropriations.

Additionally, the bill revises the eligibility criteria for tuition waivers under the First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act, allowing qualifying children of first responders and eligible disabled persons to receive waivers for up to one hundred twenty credit hours or five years, whichever comes first. It also includes new requirements for maintaining eligibility, such as achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater. The bill harmonizes various provisions and repeals the original sections that are being amended.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 80-411, 85-2615, 85-2616, 85-2618, 85-2620, 85-2621