H. B. 4072


(By Delegates Modesitt, Azinger, L. White,
Schadler, Prunty, Angotti and Cann)
[Introduced January 18, 2000; referred to the
Committee on Veterans Affairs then Finance.]



A BILL to amend and reenact section twenty-one, article one-b, chapter fifteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to providing for the payment of tuition and fees to members of the national guard who attend schools in this state approved for veterans administration benefits.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section twenty-one, article one-b, chapter fifteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1B. NATIONAL GUARD.

§15-1B-21. Tuition and fees for guard members at institutions of higher education.

Any member of the national guard who is enrolled in a course of undergraduate study at and is attending any accredited college, university, business, or trade school or school approved for veterans administration benefits located in West Virginia, shall be entitled to payment of tuitions and fees at such college, university, business, or trade school or school approved for veterans administration benefits during the period of his service in the national guard: Provided, That the adjutant general may prescribe criteria of eligibility for payment of tuition and fees at such college, university, business, or trade school or school approved for veterans administration benefits: Provided, however, That such payment shall be contingent upon appropriations being made by the Legislature for this express purpose.
The amount of such payment for members attending a state-supported school shall be determined by the adjutant general, and shall not exceed the actual amount of tuition and fees at such school. The amount of such payment for members attending a private school shall be determined by the adjutant general, but in no event shall exceed the highest amounts payable at any state-supported school.
The adjutant general is charged with the administration of tuition and fee payments under this section and shall promulgate legislative rules and regulations for the same.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the payment of tuition and fees to national guard members who are enrolled in schools located in this state that are approved for Veterans Administration benefits.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.