Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
Senator THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Corrado, Brown and Pou
SYNOPSIS
Provides in-State tuition status to certain veterans and family members who attend public institutions of higher education during period of mandatory remote instruction due to public health emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the residency status of veterans attending public institutions of higher education and amending P.L.2015, c.32.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2015, c.32 (C.18A:62-4.1b) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. (1) A veteran or covered individual who is living in New Jersey and is attending a public institution of higher education in New Jersey shall be regarded as a resident of the State for the purpose of determining tuition, regardless of the veteran or covered individual's state of residence.
(2) During any period in which a public institution of higher education requires students to complete coursework through remote instruction due to a public health emergency, a veteran or covered individual who attends the public institution of higher education, but is living outside of New Jersey during the period of remote instruction, shall be regarded as a resident of the State for the purpose of determining tuition, regardless of the veteran or covered individual’s state of residence.
b. As used in this section:
"Covered individual" means:
(1) an individual who is entitled to educational assistance under provisions of the federal "Post-9/11 Educational Assistance" program (38 U.S.C. s.3311(b)(9) or 3319) by virtue of such individual's relationship to a veteran ; and
(2) an individual who is entitled to educational assistance under provisions of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' "Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program" (38 U.S.C. s.3100 et seq.) effective for courses, semesters, or terms that begin after March 1, 2019.
"Veteran" means a person who has served on active duty in the Uniformed Services of the United States and who was discharged or released and who qualifies for educational assistance under the federal "All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program" (38 U.S.C. s.3001 et seq.) or "Post-9/11 Educational Assistance" program (38 U.S.C. s.3301 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.2019, c.264, s.1)
2. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under the “New Jersey Tuition Equality for America’s Military (NJTEAM) Act,” P.L.2015, c. 32 (C.18A:62-4.1a et seq.), a veteran or other “covered individual,” such as a veteran’s spouse or child, who qualifies for certain federal educational assistance, resides in New Jersey, and attends a public institution of higher education, is considered to be a State resident for tuition purposes and thereby eligible to pay an in-State tuition rate regardless of the individual’s state of residence.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, public institutions of higher education have required students to complete coursework through remote instruction. This bill amends the NJTEAM Act to allow veterans and covered individuals to continue to pay in-State tuition during any period of mandatory remote instruction due to a public health emergency, even if they are living outside of the State during the period of remote instruction. This will allow those who benefit from the provisions of the NJTEAM Act to continue to receive in-State tuition while they are temporarily out-of-state due to the public health emergency.