NAT. GUARD TUITION ASS.; EXTEND ACCESS S.B. 104:
SUMMARY AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
Senate Bill 104 (as passed by the Senate)
Sponsor: Senator Adam J. Hollier
Committee: Families, Seniors, and Veterans (discharged)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Act to allow the Adjutant General to do the following:
-- Establish a policy that would allow the spouse of an eligible person or one or more dependents of an eligible person to use an eligible person's tuition assistance established under the Act.
-- Require the Adjutant General to spend money from the Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Fund to provide tuition assistance or reimbursement to the spouse of an eligible person or one or more dependents of an eligible person.
The Act creates the Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Program and requires the Adjutant General to administer the Program. An eligible person may apply for tuition assistance from the Program before enrolling in an eligible educational institution. The bill would allow the Adjutant General to establish a policy that allowed the spouse of an eligible person or one or more dependents of an eligible person to utilize the eligible person's tuition assistance established under the Act, in a manner prescribed by the Adjutant General and consistent with the Act.
("Eligible person" means a member of the Michigan national guard who meets all the following conditions: 1) is in active service; 2) is not absent without leave or under charges described in the Michigan Code of Military Justice; and 3) any other criteria determined by the Adjutant General consistent with Michigan National Guard recruiting and retention requirements.)
The Act also creates the Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Fund within the State Treasury and requires the Adjutant General to spend money from the Fund to provide tuition assistance to an eligible person or to reimburse an eligible person for tuition at an eligible educational institution. The bill would require the Adjutant General to spend money from the Fund as described above for the spouse of an eligible person or one or more dependents of an eligible person.
MCL 32.433 & 32.434 Legislative Analyst: Tyler P. VanHuyse
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a negative fiscal impact on the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, requiring an additional $5.0 million General Fund/General Purpose (GF/GP) annually to fulfill the bill's provisions. The fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 budget for the Department provides
$6,521,900 GF/GP for the Michigan National Guard Tuition Assistance Program in its current form, applicable only to Guard members themselves. To cover the full FY 2022-23 costs to expand program coverage to spouses or dependents, this appropriation would need to be increased to approximately $11,521,900 GF/GP.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.