WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 4882
By Delegates Hanshaw (Mr. Speaker), Hornbuckle, Hornby, Kimble, Warner, Tully, Cooper, Heckert and Fehrenbacher
[Introduced January 17, 2024; Referred to the Committee on Education then Finance]
A BILL to amend and reenact §18B-10-1a of the West Virginia Code 1931, as amended, to extend in-state tuition rates to all members and veterans of the National Guard, reserves, and armed forces as well as their spouses and dependents, when they choose to move to West Virginia for the purpose of attending state institutions of higher education.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
(a) The term "resident" or "residency," or any other term or expression used to designate a West Virginia resident student, when used to determine the rate of tuition to be charged students attending state institutions of higher education shall be construed to include the following Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the following persons shall be charged in-state tuition rates at the state’s institutions of higher education regardless of domicile:
(1) Members of the National Guard or reserves who are not residents of West Virginia but who are active members of a National Guard or reserve unit in West Virginia;
(2) Current members of the United States armed forces who reside in or move to West Virginia;
(3) Veterans of the National Guard, a reserve unit, or the armed forces of the United States who reside in or move to West Virginia for the purpose of attending a state institution of higher education; and
(4) Spouses or dependents of a member or veteran of the National Guard, a reserve unit, or the armed forces of the United States who reside in or move to West Virginia with such member or veteran.
(b) A person who qualifies as a resident, as that term is defined in subsection (a) of this section, on the first day of the semester or term of the college or institution, shall be charged resident tuition rates
(c)(b) The provisions of this section apply at the beginning of the semester or term immediately following the effective date of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to extend in-state tuition rates to all members of the military armed forces, National Guard, reserves, as well as veterans of such institutions and their spouses and dependents, in order to encourage our military, Guard, and veterans to move to and reside in West Virginia.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.