ON APRIL 21, 2023, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1303, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 rewrites this bill to add to present law provisions pertaining to tuition reimbursement for national guardsmen.
Under present law, tuition reimbursement must be paid to an educational institution on behalf of an eligible member for no more than 24 semester hours toward a certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program. A member is no longer eligible for tuition reimbursement when the member has attempted 24 semester hours toward a certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program, inclusive of any semester hours earned in that same vocational or technical program prior to receipt of tuition reimbursement. It is not required that tuition reimbursement apply toward a member's first certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program.
This amendment adds the requirement that the adjutant general reimburse the tuition charged by an educational institution to a member if the member completed the member's initial active-duty training in April of 2022, began enrolling in class at the educational institution in August of 2022, and timely submits an application for tuition reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement must be paid to the educational institution in accordance with the present law above. A member applying for and receiving tuition reimbursement pursuant to this provision is not required to apply for and use federal assistance at the educational institution.
This amendment requires that members eligible for tuition reimbursement under this new provision must submit an application for reimbursement within 90 days of course completion, if the course is completed on or after July 1, 2023 and members must submit an application for reimbursement no later than August 1, 2023, for courses completed by the member between August 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.
As used in this added provision, "educational intuition" is defined as a private college of technology that:
(1) Maintains a campus in Nashville, Tennessee that has operated as an automotive school for more than 80 years;
(2) Offers an associate of applied science degree in five automotive specialties, as well as diploma programs;
(3) Is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology; and
(4) Has its primary campus domiciled in another state.
This amendment provides that the above provisions are repealed on July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-4-903(b), 49-4-903
Amended with SA0489 -- 04/21/2023: 49-4-903(b), 49-4-903, 49-4-1005(5), 49-4-1005, 49-4-1005(11)