Senate Bill 59 aims to amend the residency requirements for the tuition and fee remission program for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System and technical colleges. Currently, veterans and their spouses and children aged 17 to 25 are eligible for full remission of tuition and fees if they meet specific residency criteria, including a five-year residency requirement prior to enrollment. The bill proposes to eliminate this five-year residency requirement for veterans who were not residents of Wisconsin when they entered military service. Instead, it allows these veterans to qualify for tuition remission if they are residents of Wisconsin at the time of their registration at a UW System school or technical college.

Additionally, the bill modifies the eligibility criteria for the spouses and children of veterans, allowing them to qualify for tuition remission if they reside in Wisconsin immediately before their enrollment, provided the veteran has resided in the state at any time as an adult or meets certain disability criteria. The bill also introduces new language regarding the remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees, ensuring that eligible veterans and their dependents can receive financial support regardless of their prior residency status. Overall, this legislation seeks to enhance access to higher education for veterans and their families by simplifying the residency requirements for tuition remission.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 36.27(3n)(a)1m.a, 36.27, 36.27(3n)(a)1m.b, 36.27(3n)(b)(intro.), 36.27(3n)(bd), 36.27(3n)(bg), 36.27(3n)(bm), 36.27(3n)(c), 36.27(3p)(a)1r.(intro.), 38.24(7)(a)1m.a, 38.24, 38.24(7)(a)1m.b, 38.24(7)(a)1p, 38.24(7)(b)(intro.), 38.24(7)(bd), 38.24(7)(bg), 38.24(7)(bm), 38.24(8)(a)1r.(intro.)