IN-STATE TUITION RATES FOR

VETERANS AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

House Joint Resolution "N"

Sponsor:  Rep. Jim Stamas

Committee:  Military and Veterans Affairs

Complete to 9-9-13

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION "N" AS INTRODUCED 3-7-13

House Joint Resolution N would amend Article VIII, Sections 5 and 6 of the State Constitution of 1963 to require that the board of a university consider a student enrolled in the university to be a resident of Michigan for determining the tuition rate if the student is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States.  (This does not apply to a dishonorably discharged veteran.)

The resolution would be put before the voters at the next general election (November 2014) if approved by the Legislature.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The constitutional amendment proposed in House Joint Resolution N would reduce tuition revenue collected by public universities from military veterans currently paying nonresident tuition rates at those universities who would become eligible to pay resident rates under the amendment’s provisions. The amount of reduced revenue collections is indeterminate. No data is available on the number of university students who would be affected by the amendment, or who would newly enroll at universities following implementation of the amendment.

Thirteen of the 15 public universities in Michigan (Central, Eastern, Grand Valley, Lake Superior State, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Northern, Oakland, University of Michigan [three campuses], Wayne State, and Western) currently participate in the voluntary Yellow Ribbon Agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, under which eligible veterans effectively have the gap between resident and nonresident tuition rates partially or fully waived by the university.* (The agreement is limited to certain academic levels/programs, a specified number of students, or a limited dollar amount in some cases.) The impact of the constitutional amendment would presumably be reduced or minimized at those universities.

As background, the FY 2013-14 Higher Education budget contains language (Sec. 275) stating legislative intent that universities consider all veterans residents of Michigan for tuition purposes, although this is not a legally binding requirement.

*For more information about the Yellow Ribbon program, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website at:

http://gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/yellow_ribbon_program.html and

http://gibill.va.gov/gi_bill_info/ch33/yrp/2012/states/mi.htm

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   E. Best

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Kyle Jen

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.