HB 887-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2007 SESSION
09/04
HOUSE BILL 887-FN
AN ACT allowing certain members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free at public postsecondary institutions.
SPONSORS: Rep. Kjellman, Merr 5; Rep. Hatch, Coos 3; Rep. Roberts, Ches 3; Rep. Dingman, Graf 5; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 3; Sen. Kenney, Dist 3; Sen. Hassan, Dist 23
This bill allows members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free at public postsecondary institutions.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
07-0875
09/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT allowing certain members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free at public postsecondary institutions.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Postsecondary Education Benefits. Amend RSA 110-B by inserting after section 80 the following new subdivision:
Postsecondary Education Benefits.
110-B:81 Members of Armed Forces; Military Reserve, and National Guard; Tuition-Free Courses.
I. Except as provided in paragraph II, and paragraph III, any member of the armed forces, including the armed forces reserve and the New Hampshire national guard, and any veteran who qualifies for the Montgomery GI Bill, who was a resident of New Hampshire prior to entering military service, and who is otherwise eligible to attend, may take undergraduate courses, tuition free, in any New Hampshire public postsecondary institution.
II. Paragraph I of this section shall not apply to any member or veteran who receives a military bonus for education, until and unless such military bonus has been completely expended for tuition and other educational costs for which the bonus was granted. The Montgomery GI Bill, a benefit of military service to which the service member contributes, and which benefit must be used within 10 years of separation from active duty service, shall not be considered a bonus for education.
III. Members of the reserve and the national guard shall have completed 12 months active duty in state or federal service, but not including basic training and advanced individual training, before they become eligible for this benefit.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
LBAO
07-0875
Revised 02/22/07
HB 887 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT allowing certain members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free a public postsecondary institutions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Regional Community-Technical Colleges and the University System of New Hampshire state this bill will decrease state restricted revenue and increase state restricted expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county or local revenue and expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The University System of New Hampshire states this bill provides free undergraduate tuition to all members of the armed forces, including reserves and National Guard, who were New Hampshire residents prior to entering military service. The System states it cannot determine the number of individuals that may elect to take advantage of the free tuition program. The System states the “blended rate” of full-time equivalent annual tuition for New Hampshire residents during FY 2008 and FY 2009 will be approximately $7,500, with actual tuition ranging from $5,208 at Granite State College in FY 2008 to $9,000 at the University of New Hampshire in FY 2009. The System states that because it cannot determine the exact number of full-time or part-time students that will participate in the program, the System assumes 400 full-time equivalent students will participate annually, with an estimated cost of $3,000,000 (400 x $7,500).
The Department of Regional Community-Technical Colleges states it is unable to determine the fiscal impact of this bill in FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter because the number of students who will enroll in a course at the institute or colleges, tuition free, is unknown. The Department states providing free tuition under this bill may decrease state restricted tuition revenue and increase state restricted expenditures at the Department. The Department states current in-state tuition is $164 per credit.