75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 1292
 
                         Senate Bill 595
 
Sponsored by Senator HASS; Representative BARKER
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Deletes certain tuition waiver eligibility requirements for
service members.
  Declares emergency, effective on passage.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to veterans; creating new provisions; amending sections
  9 and 10, chapter 39, Oregon Laws 2008; and declaring an
  emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. Section 9, chapter 39, Oregon Laws 2008, is amended
to read:
   { +  Sec. 9. + } (1) As used in this section:
  (a) 'Child' means a child, adopted child or stepchild of a
service member.
  (b) 'Eligible post-secondary institution' means:
  (A) A state institution of higher education listed in ORS
352.002; and
  (B) The Oregon Health and Science University.
  (c) 'Qualified student' means a child, a spouse or an
unremarried surviving spouse of a service member.
  (d) 'Service member' means a person who:
  (A) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died
on active duty   { - after September 11, 2001 - } ;
  (B) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died
as a result of a military service connected disability
  { - sustained after September 11, 2001 - } ; or
  (C) Is 100 percent disabled as the result of a military service
connected disability   { - sustained after September 11, 2001 - }
, as certified by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs or any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.
  (2) Subject to subsections (3) to (6) of this section, an
eligible post-secondary institution shall waive tuition for a
qualified student for courses that may lead to a baccalaureate
degree or a master's degree. A qualified student who received a
tuition waiver for a baccalaureate degree may also qualify for a
tuition waiver for a master's degree.
  (3)(a) The maximum waiver granted under this section shall be
as follows:
  (A) For a baccalaureate degree, the total number of credit
hours that equals four years of full-time attendance at an
eligible post-secondary institution.
  (B) For a master's degree, the total number of credit hours
that equals two years of full-time attendance at an eligible
post-secondary institution.
  (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a waiver
may not exceed the total number of credit hours the qualified
student needs to graduate with a baccalaureate degree or a
master's degree.
  (4) A waiver may be granted under this section only for credit
hours for courses that are offered by an eligible post-secondary
institution and are available for enrollment regardless of
whether the qualified student attends the course and pays
tuition.
  (5) A qualified student may receive a waiver under this section
if the student:
  (a) At the time of application for a waiver, is considered a
resident of this state for the purpose of determining tuition to
be paid at an eligible post-secondary institution; and
  (b) Has been admitted to an eligible post-secondary institution
for a baccalaureate degree program or has been admitted to a
master's degree program at an eligible post-secondary
institution.
  (6)(a) A child who applies for a waiver under this section must
be 23 years of age or younger at the time the child applies for a
waiver.
  (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a child
who is older than 23 years of age is eligible for a waiver for a
master's degree if the child:
  (A) Applied for and received a waiver for a baccalaureate
degree when the child was 23 years of age or younger; and
  (B) Applied for a waiver for a master's degree within 12 months
of receiving a baccalaureate degree.
  SECTION 2. Section 10, chapter 39, Oregon Laws 2008, is amended
to read:
   { +  Sec. 10. + } (1) As used in this section, 'qualified
student ' has the meaning given that term in section 9 { + ,
chapter 39, Oregon Laws 2008 + }   { - of this 2008 Act - } .
  (2) No later than February 1,   { - 2009 - }   { + 2011 + },
each state institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002,
each community college as defined in ORS 341.005 and the Oregon
Health and Science University shall report to the
 { - Seventy-fifth - }  { +  Seventy-sixth + } Legislative
Assembly as provided in ORS 192.245.
  (3) The report required by subsection (2) of this section shall
describe how the institution, community college or university is
accommodating the financial needs of qualified students,
including:
  (a) The number of qualified students who received a waiver
under section 9 { + , chapter 39, Oregon Laws 2008, + }   { - of
this 2008 Act - } and the amounts of those waivers.
  (b) Scholarships offered specifically to qualified students,
the number of qualified students who received those scholarships
and the amounts of those scholarships.
  (c) Any other financial assistance provided to qualified
students.
  SECTION 3.  { + The amendments to section 9, chapter 39, Oregon
Laws 2008, by section 1 of this 2009 Act become operative on July
1, 2009, and first apply to the 2009-2010 school year. + }
  SECTION 4.  { + This 2009 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2009 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
                         ----------