S.B. 220 Veteran Scholarship Amendments: transcript

Um, the purpose of this bill is we have a number of Prepar heart recipients, uh, in the state of Utah. We give them to tuition waivers at the baccalaureate level. We've given them some tuition waiver at the graduate level. Um, but we put a 10 year cap on it. But we have an example of people who have been returning to, um, war sites and other active duty away from the state who haven't been able to take advantage of with a 10 year time limit. So we're expanding that and also doing an adjustment to the tuition waiver that we allow. Um, I think that's appropriate given the time and the kinda service of the veterans that, uh, are keeping our country safe. With that, I'm open to questions.

Thank you. Just a a a quick comment and a question. This is great. Why did we put a 10 year cap on it originally? Do you know?

I do not know that. So, but, but I, but you might ask, um, the person next to you, I was just told a little story about Oh, no. Um, about that. Maybe either he might know or he can tell you about, um, being subjected to that.

Um, so, so I lost a bunch of GI Bill when I hit the 10 year mark. Mine was federal GI Bill. I think the reason they put the tenure on it was to, to mirror the federal. But what the federal or the state didn't anticipate is, uh, people deploying eight or 10 times in, in 20 years. Yeah. And then having them unable to use the benefit. And so, uh, I will not speak in favor or against because I can't do that, but I'm just telling you that's what why. So thanks. Thank just The experience chairman.

Brian Garrett, Utah, department of Veterans and Military Affairs. I should have just taken the seat to begin with representative. To quick answer to your question, we don't know. Uh, we were, as a department, surprised when it was brought to us by one of our national Guardsmen, who had been deployed six times, was blown up his word on the fifth deployment and was unable to use the benefit. We started doing the research and no one knows why the 10 year cap is there. We talked to higher ed, they're supportive. They have no idea. Sorry, I wish I had a better answer, but no one knows. So here we are.

Thank you. I'd, I'd like to make a motion that we approve favorably SB two 20 Veteran Scholarship amendments to the full house.

I'll just re reiterate. I think this is a great idea and I'm, I'm glad you've done this. Thank you.

Um, just wanna say thank you for your consideration and to Brian, um, who finds these kind of administrative things that get in the way of our servicemen and women sometimes. And, um, always brings them to help, help us get 'em solved for them. So I appreciate that a lot.

I'll waive. Thank you. Alright.

So, veteran Scholarship Amendments. Uh, yes, go ahead. Um, Brian Garrett, uh, who you all you probably know, works with National Guard and Military and Veterans Affairs, um, brought this to me and it probably surfaced because of an individual, um, who, um, is actually still working with the Guard, but has been deployed multiple times. And, um, we have a waiver program for undergraduate degrees on terms of tuition. And we also have had a contribution, um, a a max cap of 10,000 in tuition for the graduate level. And that's not been updated in many, many years. And so, um, an individual came who was, uh, had gone past the 10 year cap. I'm not sure why we put a 10 year cap on this for a Purple Heart. Um, people who would receive the Purple Heart, but for some reason we did. And when we did, um, he found himself, uh, in a place where he had a, he had his bachelor's degree, he was still serving, and then he, uh, Uintah the guard and he had, he was deployed six times. Um, and therefore it was pretty hard for him to be able to go and get his graduate program. And so it, so he was, he went past the 10 years. And then the question came, why do we have a limit on this? And, um, we only have 232 people, uh, living Purple Heart recipients in the state. Um, but these are people that have given above and beyond even, um, the service of anyone to, to help protect all of us. And, um, I just think we ought to take the 10. This would take this bill. What it does is take off the 10 year cap and just says they can, uh, continue as long as they're able, they have to get, they have to be able to get into the program, et cetera. And it would move the cap from $10,000 to 15,000 for the graduate tuition. That's, um, I, I think these are small not but meaningful steps for the members of our guard and the 15,000 that, uh, would make that consistent with what is two years of tuition assistance for our Utah National Guard. And so I think there's a reason to say that's consistent with what we're doing with, for military members, uh, in the state. And with that, I'm open to questions.

I recommend that we pass out with a favorable recommendation Senate Bill two 20 Veteran Scholarship amendments to the full body of the Senate.

Um, I think it's just a small statement that we can make of gratitude, uh, to those who, um, have given much to serve.

I'll waive. Okay.

Motion to adjourn. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye.

Thank you very much Mr. President. What this bill does is, uh, we have had a higher education tuition waiver for our Purple Heart recipients. We had some interesting, uh, kind of, uh, barriers around that. Uh, for graduate programs, what this does is open it up for graduate programs, particularly for those who have served for a long time and increases the tuition waiver as well. With that, I'm open to questions.

thank you very much Mr. President. Um, what this bill does is we discussed yesterday is, um, our Purple Heart recipients. This just, uh, provides them more opportunities to get scholarships, um, for graduate programs and increases by a small amount, um, the value of those scholarships. Um, with that I'm open to questions.

of the president, Madam Reading Clerk Senate Bill two 20 Veteran Scholarship Amendments by Senator Millner. This bill was hurting government operations with Vote 10 0 2.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tim. So Utah has 232 living Purple Heart recipients and we currently have 38 Purple Heart recipients who are still wearing the uniform in the Utah Army National Guard. Uh, in order to receive a Purple Heart, a service member has to be wounded or killed in action in a foreign conflict, and it has to be recorded and, uh, treated by a medical officer and put into their their official record. So in Utah, in recognition of their service and sacrifice, the legislature created the Purple Heart Tuition waiver and, uh, they get a full waiver towards an undergraduate degree and they get a limited waiver towards a graduate degree. The limiting part of the graduate degree is they have 10 years to utilize that and they have an amount up to $10,000. What this bill does is it would remove the 10 year cap so that they could use that anytime during their lifetime. As, uh, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is talked to different, uh, purple Heart recipients, there's a feeling that maybe the the limited Graduate School waiver would be used more if we took off that cap when, uh, they have a better opportunity to do it. And so with that, Mr. Speaker Pro Timm is my presentation.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Timm. I just think this is a, a nice way to allow our Purple Heart recipients, uh, if they want to earn a graduate degree, to be able to have that anytime during their lifetime. Thanks for your support.