Assembly Bill 591 aims to enhance the tuition remission program for veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System and technical colleges. The bill proposes to convert the current sum certain appropriation for this program into a sum sufficient appropriation, ensuring that funds will be available to fully reimburse the Board of Regents and technical college district boards for tuition and fees remitted under the Wisconsin GI Bill. This change addresses the issue of insufficient funds that previously required prorating reimbursements when appropriated funds were inadequate.

Additionally, the bill includes several deletions of specific provisions related to the reimbursement process, particularly those that reference the prorating of reimbursements due to insufficient funds. It renumbers certain subsections and amends existing statutes to streamline the reimbursement process, ensuring that eligible veterans and their dependents receive the full benefits they are entitled to without the risk of reduced payments. The changes will take effect for students enrolled in the fall 2026 semester.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20.235(1)(fz), 20.235, 36.27(3n)(bm)2, 36.27, 36.27(3n)(c), 36.27(3p)(bm)2, 36.27(3p)(c), 38.24(7)(bm)2, 38.24, 38.24(7)(c), 38.24(8)(bm)2, 38.24(8)(c), 39.50(1), 39.50, 39.50(2), 39.50(3m), 39.50(4)