Assembly Bill 659 proposes amendments to the residency requirements for tuition and fee remission programs for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System, technical colleges, and private nonprofit institutions of higher education. The bill reduces the residency requirement from five years to three years for veterans, their spouses, and children in cases where the veteran was not a resident of Wisconsin at the time of entering military service. This change applies to both the tuition remission program and the grant program administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) for private nonprofit colleges.

Additionally, the bill modifies the nonresident tuition exemption criteria for veterans by eliminating the requirement that a veteran must have been a Wisconsin resident at the time of entry into active duty to qualify for resident tuition rates. These changes aim to enhance access to higher education for veterans and their families by making it easier for them to qualify for financial assistance and tuition benefits.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 36.27(2)(b)4, 36.27, 36.27(3n)(a)1m.a, 36.27(3n)(a)1m.b, 36.27(3n)(bd), 36.27(3p)(a)1r.(intro.), 38.24(7)(a)1m.a, 38.24, 38.24(7)(a)1m.b, 38.24(7)(bd), 38.24(8)(a)1r.(intro.), 39.49(2)(a)2, 39.49