SF3957

Purpose

• This bill changes Minnesota’s education aid for veterans and their families. It creates a new program that provides a small annual stipend and tuition-free access to Minnesota public postsecondary institutions for eligible children and spouses of veterans, and for eligible veterans themselves under certain conditions. It also repeals a prior, separate POW/MIA dependent tuition program and sets funding and reporting requirements.

Main Provisions

• Definitions and scope
  • Establishes new or revised definitions to govern who can receive benefits:
  • Deceased veteran: a veteran who died as a result of military service and who lived in Minnesota around the time of service.
  • Eligible child: a child of a deceased veteran or a POW/MIA veteran, who is a student in good academic standing and is an eligible resident student at an eligible institution.
  • Eligible spouse: a spouse of a deceased, POW, or MIA veteran, who is in good academic standing and an eligible resident student.
  • Eligible veteran: a veteran who remains a resident student, is in good academic standing, has exhausted federal benefits, and has no other eligible veteran education benefits left, while using the new program.
  • Eligible institution: a Minnesota public college or university, the Board of Regents (University of Minnesota), Tribally controlled colleges, or other institutions licensed/registered to participate.
  • Other terms define what counts as tuition and fees, satisfactory academic progress, and POW/MIA terms.
• Benefits and eligibility (Sec. 2)
  • An annual educational stipend of $750 is provided for each eligible child and each eligible spouse.
  • A one-time payment of $750 is provided for each eligible veteran.
  • The stipend is not available to someone who has earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Eligible children and spouses may attend a Minnesota public postsecondary institution tuition-free (tuition and fees waived) until they earn a bachelor’s degree.
  • After eligibility is approved, stipends are awarded on a funds-available basis.
  • Payments can go directly to eligible institutions or to eligible individuals, as determined by the commissioner.
  • Once someone qualifies as an eligible child or eligible spouse, they remain eligible even if circumstances change (e.g., the POW/MI A returns or dies, or the parent/spouse returns or dies).
• Proof of eligibility (Sec. 3)
  • Applicants must submit an eligibility package including: an application, proof of military service, proof of residency if applicable, and a VA/DoD confirmation that federal education benefits have been exhausted, plus proof of service-connected disability or death if applicable.
  • Benefits start when the application is approved and the commissioner notifies the educational institution and the applicant.
• Institutional participation (Sec. 4)
  • All Minnesota public postsecondary institutions must participate in the program during both peacetime and war.
  • Institutions not described in the above may suspend or terminate participation at the end of any academic term.
• Reporting and information sharing (Sec. 5)
  • Eligible institutions must submit an annual report by September 30 detailing program activity, enrollment, graduation data for students receiving benefits, and the cost of tuition waived.
  • Public and certain private institutions must provide information to eligible children and spouses and maintain a veterans education benefits page with links to federal and state programs.
• Funding and appropriation (Sec. 6)
  • The benefits are funded from the state general fund.
  • A cap applies: the amount paid cannot exceed $6,000,000 per fiscal year.
• Repeal of the old program (Sec. 7)
  • Repeals the prior statute that provided tuition/fee waivers or payments for POW/MIA dependents under the older framework.
• Appendix (contextual)
  • The bill includes an appendix describing the repealed provisions and how they previously operated.

How this changes existing law

• Replaces the old POW/MIA dependent education program with a new framework that provides:
  • A fixed annual stipend for eligible children and spouses, and a small lump-sum payment for eligible veterans.
  • Tuition-free attendance at Minnesota public postsecondary institutions for eligible children and spouses until they complete a bachelor’s degree.
  • Ongoing eligibility for those who qualify, regardless of changes in status (e.g., POW/MIA status, death of a parent/spouse).
  • A formal annual reporting and transparency requirement for participating institutions.
  • A defined funding cap, ensuring a known annual program cost.
• Repeals the prior POW/MIA dependent education program (the old provisions) and replaces them with the new program.

Administrative and practical impact

• Administration would be handled by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, with payments made to institutions or individuals.
• Institutions have a continuing obligation to participate and report data.
• Families of veterans may have easier access to tuition waivers and predictable stipends, with a clear eligibility path and documentation requirements.

Notable terms to know (for context)

• educational assistance stipend
• eligible child
• eligible spouse
• eligible veteran
• deceased veteran
• prisoner of war (POW)
• missing in action (MIA)
• eligible institution
• tuition and fees
• public postsecondary educational institution
• residency
• Board of Regents
• Tribally controlled college
• satisfactory academic progress
• exhaustion of federal educational benefits
• general fund
• appropriation
• cap
• annual report
• POW/MIA dependent education (old framework)

Relevant Terms - educational assistance stipend - eligible child - eligible spouse - eligible veteran - deceased veteran - prisoner of war - missing in action - eligible institution - tuition and fees - public postsecondary educational institution - residency - Board of Regents - Tribally controlled college - satisfactory academic progress - exhaustion of federal educational benefits - general fund - appropriation - cap - annual report - POW/MIA dependent education (for contrast with the new framework)