Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §505, sub-§2, ¶F, as amended by PL 2007, c. 167, §8, is further amended to read:
F. A child of a veteran who is attending state-supported postsecondary vocational schools or institutions of collegiate grade must be admitted free of tuition including mandatory fees and lab fees for associate's and bachelor's programs. The tuition waiver provided under this paragraph may be reduced by an amount necessary to ensure that the value of this waiver, combined with all other grants and benefits received by the student, does not exceed the total cost of education. Room and board may not be waived. A child of a veteran has 6 academic years from the date of first entrance to complete 8 semesters 120 credit hours. The director may waive the limit of 6 consecutive academic years when the recipient's education has been interrupted by severe medical disability or , learning disability, illness or other hardship, making continued attendance impossible . , however, the extension may not exceed 2 academic years. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 or "C" grade point average to continue receiving educational benefits. If a student's grade point average falls below 2.0 or a "C," then the student has one semester to bring the grade point average up to at least 2.0 or a "C." If after that semester the student's grade point average is below 2.0 or a "C," the student loses educational benefits under this paragraph until the student achieves a grade point average of at least 2.0 or a "C."
Sec. 2. Waiver; baseline established; report. By October 15, 2013, each postsecondary educational institution of collegiate grade and vocational school that provides tuition waivers to children of veterans in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 37-B, section 505, subsection 2, paragraph F shall provide the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management a list of students enrolled with that institution or school as of September 30, 2013 who have received the waiver and the total number of credit hours provided subject to the waivers. The bureau shall establish a baseline of credit hours taken for students receiving tuition waivers using the information provided in accordance with this section.’
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The bill gives a child of a veteran receiving a tuition waiver 6 academic years to complete 120 credit hours. The amendment provides that the 6-year limit may be extended for up to 2 academic years for certain causes. The amendment requires state-supported postsecondary educational institutions and vocational schools to provide the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services with a list of students receiving tuition waivers and the total number of credit hours provided subject to the waivers.