H. B. 3191
(By Delegates Fleischauer, Beach, Shook, Stowers,
Perry, Iaquinta, Longstreth, Phillips and Lawrence)
[Introduced March 18, 2009; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto two new sections, designated §18B-1-12 and
§18B-1-13, all relating to requiring public and private
institutions of higher learning within West Virginia to
present plans to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance
by October 1, 2009, that involve making their campuses more
"military or veteran friendly".
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto two new sections, designated §18B-1-12 and §18B-
1-13, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. GOVERNANCE.
§18B-1-12. Findings that colleges and universities to develop plans
on how each campus can be made more "military or
veteran friendly."
(a) West Virginia has one of the highest numbers of active
duty and injured soldiers per capita in the nation. It is
important that veterans receive the honor, treatment and care they
so richly deserve for volunteering their lives to protect our
country and our state. The State of West Virginia has a compelling
interest in demonstrating its gratitude towards its veterans by
enhancing services that broaden opportunities for veterans,
including higher education.
(b) Many veterans are interested and motivated to seek higher
education, but face obstacles and limitations unique to veterans in
doing so, including unprecedented mental and physical health care
issues that may be beyond the scope of care of current student
services. By providing veterans with enhanced educational
assistance and counseling, higher education institutions in this
state can help satisfy the state's moral obligations to honor and
show gratitude for the service of veterans.
§18B-1-13. Requirement to develop plans on how campuses can be made
more "military or veteran friendly."
On or before October 1, 2009, public higher education
institutions in this state, as well as private institutions of
higher education in this state which receive state funding or any
other support pursuant to any provision in this code, shall develop
plans detailing how each campus can be made more "military or
veteran friendly." Components in these plans may include, but are not limited to, devising methods of lowering the bureaucratic
barriers facing veterans in enrollment, reenrollment, financial aid
and transitioning into the educational process, appointing
veterans' advocates and providing training for them in as many
institutional units as is feasible, designing one or more areas on
campus for veterans to congregate and discuss shared concerns,
developing programs to ease the transition from military life into
higher education, and assisting veterans in gaining knowledge and
applying for all benefits available to them. The foregoing plans
are to be submitted forthwith to the Joint Committee on Government
and Finance for dissemination to interim committees dealing with
issues relating to veterans and higher education.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require public and
private institutions of higher learning within West Virginia to
present plans to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance by
October 1, 2009, that involve making their campuses more "military
or veteran friendly".
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.
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