Senate Bill 587 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 is intended to eliminate the need for prorating reimbursements when funds are insufficient, which has been a limitation under the existing law.

Additionally, the bill includes several deletions of specific provisions related to the previous funding structure, such as repealing sections that reference insufficient funds and renumbering certain subsections. The changes will first take effect for eligible students enrolled in the fall 2026 semester, thereby providing a more reliable financial support system for veterans and their families pursuing higher education in Wisconsin.

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)