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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.4682 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:20000224 Primary Sponsor:J. Smith All Sponsors:J. Smith, Klauber, W. McLeod Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\swb\5073djc00.doc Residing Body:House Current Committee:Ways and Means Committee 30 HWM Subject:National Guard, Tuition assistance grants; Adjutant General, Colleges and Universities, service, cost, payment of History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ House 20000302 Co-Sponsor added (Rule 5.2) by Rep. W. McLeod House 20000224 Introduced, read first time, 30 HWM referred to Committee Versions of This Bill
TO AMEND SECTION 59-114-30, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO MEMBER MAY BE PAID MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS PER ACADEMIC YEAR AND A TOTAL OF EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS, THAT THE TUITION ASSISTANCE BENEFIT MUST BE USED WITHIN TEN YEARS OF THE MEMBER FIRST ENTERING THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD, AND TO REQUIRE A NEW APPLICATION FOR EACH ACADEMIC TERM; TO AMEND SECTION 59-114-40, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE SERVICE OBLIGATION OF A MEMBER BEYOND THE END OF THE ACADEMIC PERIOD FOR WHICH TUITION IS REQUESTED FROM TWO YEARS TO ONE YEAR; TO AMEND SECTION 59-114-50, RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET MAY BE USED TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 59-114-70, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO MAKING TUITION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TO APPLICANTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT TUITION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS SHALL BE MADE TO ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS FOR CREDIT TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE MEMBER RATHER THAN DIRECTLY TO THE MEMBER, AND TO PROVIDE THAT ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS RECEIVING TUITION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO ACCOUNT TO THE STATE AUDITOR FOR SUCH MONIES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 59-114-30 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 155 of 1997, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-114-30. Qualifying members of the National Guard may receive tuition assistance grants, not to exceed one thousand dollars per twelve semester hours. No member may qualify for these grants for more than four separate academic years, and a new application must be submitted for each separate academic year for which tuition assistance is sought. be paid more than two thousand dollars per academic year and may only be paid a total of eight thousand dollars. This benefit must be used within ten years of the member entering the South Carolina National Guard. A new application must be submitted for each academic term. One or more summer sessions are considered collectively as one academic term."
SECTION 2. Section 59-114-40 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 155 of 1997, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-114-40. Members of the National Guard enrolled or planning to enroll in an eligible institution may apply to the Adjutant General for tuition assistance. To qualify, an applicant must be seeking:
(1) trade or vocational training;
(2) to attain a two-year associate degree;
(3) to attain a four-year baccalaureate degree.
Additionally, an applicant must have a minimum National Guard service obligation of two years one year beyond the end of the academic period for which tuition is requested or must agree in writing to formally incur this obligation upon approval of the tuition assistance grant and must meet other criteria established by the Adjutant General by regulation promulgated pursuant to this chapter."
SECTION 3. Section 59-114-50 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-114-50. The Adjutant General shall administer this program. He may delegate authority to his subordinates within the South Carolina Military Department as is necessary to implement the program. The Adjutant General shall promulgate regulations specifying additional eligibility criteria for tuition assistance grants which shall include, but not be limited to, prior National Guard service requirements, required levels of military occupational skill proficiency, and recommendations required of an applicant's National Guard supervisors. Additionally, regulations shall be promulgated setting forth standards of academic performance to be met by persons receiving assistance in order to qualify for assistance in future years and, as necessary, specifically approving vocational and training schools as eligible institutions. An amount not to exceed one percent of the total annual budget may be used to cover administrative costs of operating and advertising the program."
SECTION 4. Section 59-114-70 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 155 of 1997, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-114-70. All tuition assistance payments must be made directly to the eligible institution for credit to the account of the qualifying applicant member. who demonstrates to the Adjutant General successful completion of twelve semester hours or a pro rata share of twelve semester hours at an eligible institution as defined by this chapter. Eligible institutions receiving tuition assistance payments are subject to account to the State Auditor for such monies. The State Auditor has authority to examine eligible institutions receiving tuition assistance payments as necessary for the accounting."
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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