Senate Bill 2017

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A TUITION WAIVER FOR SPOUSES OF MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD IN ACTIVE DRILLING STATUS; TO PROVIDE FOR TUITION STABILIZATION PAYMENTS FOR MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Spouses of any member of the Mississippi National Guard in active drilling status shall be entitled to receive a tuition waiver of fifty percent (50%) for a maximum of eight (8) semesters at any state university or community and junior college.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term "spouse" means a person who has entered into a marital contract, as recognized by the State of Mississippi, with a Mississippi National Guardsman and is further defined as a "dependant" by the Mississippi Adjutant General. In order to qualify for the tuition waiver, the spouse shall be a resident of Mississippi during the semester the waiver was received.

(3) The tuition waiver may only be used for undergraduate studies or vocational education courses, whether such coursework is taken on a semester or clock-hour basis. In no event shall a spouse be eligible for the tuition waiver after receipt of an undergraduate degree, whether received through this section or not. No spouse shall be eligible for a tuition waiver after ten (10) years from the date of the first semester waiver under this section.

(4) The Adjutant General shall set up minimum academic standards for performance that must be met in order to maintain eligibility for continuing in the program.

SECTION 2. (1) Mississippi National Guard members in an active drilling status, including SMP cadets, shall receive a tuition stabilization payment of Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,500.00) per year or the amount authorized by the Federal Tuition Assistance Program, whichever is greater, for undergraduate studies at any state four-year university.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a year is defined as a Spring semester of eighteen (18) hours, a Summer semester of six (6) hours and a Fall semester of eighteen (18) hours.

(3) The Adjutant General shall set up minimum academic standards for performance that must be met in order to maintain eligibility for continuing in the program.

(4) An individual must be a member of the Mississippi National Guard for the entire semester that he receives the tuition stabilization award.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.