STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator SAMUEL D. THOMPSON
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Clarifies that certain former New Jersey National Guard members may be eligible for higher education tuition assistance.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning tuition assistance for members of the New Jersey National Guard and amending P.L.1999, c.46.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 21 of P.L.1999, c.46 (C.18A:62-24) is amended to read as follows:
21. a. Any member of the New Jersey National Guard shall be permitted to attend regularly-scheduled courses at any public institution of higher education in this State enumerated in N.J.S.18A:62-1 and receive up to 16 credits per semester tuition-free provided that:
(1) the member has completed Initial Active Duty Training and, except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection c. of this section, is in good standing as an active member of the New Jersey National Guard;
(2) the member has been accepted to pursue a course of undergraduate study and is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at that institution or a course of graduate study and is enrolled as a graduate student in good standing at that institution; and
(3) the member has applied for all available State student grants and scholarships and all available federal student grants and scholarships for which the member is eligible.
b. The State shall reimburse a public institution of higher education for the tuition cost of each National Guard member who enrolls in the institution pursuant to the provisions of this section.
c. Any member of the New Jersey National Guard whose enrollment in a public institution of higher education on a tuition-free basis pursuant to subsection a. of this section is interrupted by a deployment to active duty, including any deployment that ends prior to the effective date of P.L.2007, c.11, shall be permitted to receive the free tuition benefit after discharge from service under conditions other than dishonorable. In the event of a non-medical discharge or a medical discharge that is not caused by an illness or injury related to the performance of duties for the National Guard, eligibility for the free tuition benefit shall begin from the date of discharge and shall continue for one semester or a period of time equal to the length of the deployment, whichever is longer. In the event of medical discharge or medical retirement as a result of illness or injury incurred in the combat theater, as a result of terrorist action, or in the response to a natural disaster, eligibility for the free tuition benefit shall begin from the date of discharge or retirement and shall continue until completion of the degree program in which enrolled or for five years, whichever occurs first.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.11, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
In 2007 the Legislature amended the provisions of P.L.1999, c.46, the law which provides free tuition benefits to active members of the New Jersey National Guard enrolled in public institutions of higher education. Under the 2007 amendment, the tuition benefit was extended to former members of the Guard whose use of the free tuition benefit was interrupted by deployment to active duty. This bill clarifies that the extension of the tuition benefit to Guard members whose education was interrupted by deployment to active duty includes those members whose deployment ended prior to the enactment of the 2007 amendment to the law. It reflects what was the original intention of the Legislature that all Guard members whose receipt of the tuition benefit was interrupted as a result of deployment should be able to take advantage of the benefit for some limited period of time following release from active duty service.