(2) Tuition reimbursement program. (a) Eligibility. A veteran is eligible for the tuition reimbursement program under this subsection if he or she meets all of the following conditions:
1. The veteran applies for the tuition reimbursement program for courses begun within 10 years after separation from the service.
2. The veteran is a resident at the time of application for the tuition reimbursement program.
3. The veteran is enrolled for at least 12 credits during the semester for which reimbursement is sought.
(b) Program benefits. 1. A veteran who meets the requirements under par. (a), upon satisfactory completion of a full-time undergraduate semester in any institution of higher education in this state, any school that is approved under s. 45.03 (11), any proprietary school that is approved under s. 39.90, or any institution from which the veteran receives a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47, may be reimbursed an amount not to exceed the total cost of the veteran's tuition minus any grants or scholarships that the veteran receives specifically for the payment of the tuition. Reimbursement is available only for tuition that is part of a curriculum that is relevant to a degree in a particular course of study at the institution.
2. The application for reimbursement of tuition under this subsection shall meet all of the following conditions:
a. Be completed and received by the department no later than 60 days after the completion of the semester. The department may accept an application received more than 60 days after the completion of the semester if the applicant shows good cause for the delayed receipt.
b. Contain the information necessary to establish eligibility as determined by the department.
c. Be on the application form approved by the department.
d. Contain the signatures of both the applicant and a representative of the institution or school certifying that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the semester.
3. Reimbursement provided under this subsection shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (tf). If the amount of funds applied for exceeds the amount available under s. 20.485 (2) (tf), the department may deny applications for reimbursement that would otherwise qualify under this subsection. In those cases, the department shall determine eligibility on the basis of the dates on which applications for reimbursement were received.
4. Reimbursement of tuition and fees for a course may be provided at an institution or school under subd. 1. other than one from which the veteran is receiving his or her degree if all of the following apply:
a. The curriculum at the institution or school consists only of courses necessary to complete a degree in a particular course of study.
b. The course is accepted as transfer credits at the institution or school listed under subd. 1. from which the veteran is receiving his or her degree but is not available at that institution or school.
(c) Limitations. 1. A veteran is not eligible for reimbursement under this subsection for more than 120 credits or 8 full semesters of full-time study at any institution of higher education in this state, 60 credits or 4 full semesters of full-time study at any institution of higher education in this state that offers a degree upon completion of 60 credits, or an equivalent amount of credits at a school that is approved under s. 45.03 (11), at a proprietary school that is approved under s. 39.90, or at an institution where he or she is receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47.
2. A veteran may not receive reimbursement under this subsection for any semester in which he or she received reimbursement under sub. (3) or s. 21.49.
(3) Correspondence courses and part-time classroom study. (a) Eligibility. The following persons are eligible for benefits under this section:
1. A veteran.
2. An unremarried surviving spouse or minor or dependent child of a deceased veteran.
(b) Program benefits. 1. A person, upon the completion of any correspondence course or part-time classroom study from an institution of higher education located in this state, from a school that is approved under s. 45.03 (11), from a proprietary school that is approved under s. 39.90, or from any public or private high school, may be reimbursed in part for the cost of the course by the department. The person shall present to the department a certificate from the school indicating that the person has completed the course and stating tuition and shall apply for reimbursement on an application that is received by the department no later than 60 days after the termination of the course for which the application for reimbursement is made. The department shall accept and process an application received more than 60 days after the termination of the course if the applicant shows good cause for the delayed receipt.
2. A person who is a resident of this state and otherwise qualified to receive benefits under this subsection may receive the benefits under this subsection upon the completion of any correspondence courses or part-time classroom study from an institution of higher education located outside this state if any of the following applies:
a. The part-time classroom study is not offered within 50 miles of the person's residence by any school or institution under sub. (2) and the educational institution from which the study is offered is located not more than 50 miles from the boundary line of this state.
b. The correspondence course is not offered by an institution in this state.
3. Enrolled part-time classroom study or direct correspondence courses from a qualified educational institution may be authorized and the person reimbursed in part by the department when the courses are related to one's occupational, professional, or employment objectives, and to the extent that payment or reimbursement is not available from any other sources, or, in cases where reimbursement is not specifically for tuition, to the extent that the reimbursement is insufficient to cover all educational costs.
(b) Limitations. 1. a. No person who has obtained a master's degree or its equivalent is eligible for reimbursement under this subsection.
b. No person who has obtained at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent but not a master's degree or its equivalent is eligible for reimbursement under this subsection if the person has remaining U.S. department of veterans affairs education benefits.
c. For the purpose of this subsection, any person who has received a baccalaureate degree shall be deemed to be a graduate student whether he or she is taking graduate or undergraduate courses.
2. The department may not provide reimbursement under this subsection unless the department determines that a course for which an application is made is related to the applicant's occupational, professional, or employment objectives.
3. A person may not be reimbursed under this subsection more than 4 times during any consecutive 12-month period.
45.21 Retraining assistance program. (1) Amount and application. The department may pay a veteran not more than $3,000 for retraining to enable the veteran to obtain gainful employment. The department shall determine the amount of the payment based on the veteran's financial need. A veteran may apply for aid to the county veterans service officer of the county in which the veteran is living. The department may, on behalf of a veteran who is engaged in a structured on-the-job training program and who meets the requirements under sub. (2), make a payment under this subsection to the veteran's employer.
(2) Eligibility. The department may provide aid under this section if all of the following apply:
(a) The veteran is enrolled in a training course in a technical college under ch. 38 or in a proprietary school in the state approved by the educational approval board under s. 39.90, other than a proprietary school offering a 4-year degree or 4-year program, or is engaged in a structured on-the-job training program that meets program requirements promulgated by the department by rule.
(b) The veteran meets the financial assistance criteria established under sub. (3) (c).
(c) The veteran is unemployed, underemployed, as defined by rule, or has received a notice of termination of employment.
(d) The veteran requesting aid has not received reimbursement under s. 45.20 for courses completed during the same semester for which a grant would be received under this section.
(e) The department determines that the veteran's proposed program will provide retraining that could enable the veteran to find gainful employment. In making its determination, the department shall consider whether the proposed program provides adequate employment skills and is in an occupation for which favorable employment opportunities are anticipated.
(3) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules for the distribution of aid under this program, including all of the following:
(a) Standard budgets for single and married veterans.
(b) Selection procedures.
(c) Uniform need determination procedures.
(d) Application procedures.
(e) Coordination with other occupational training programs.
(f) Other provisions the department deems necessary to assure uniform administration of this program.
(4) Report. The department shall include in its biennial report under s. 15.04 (1) (d) information relating to the veterans retraining assistance program, including the number of veterans obtaining gainful employment after receiving aid and a description of the veterans receiving aid, including their sex, age, race, educational level, service-connected disability status, and income before and after obtaining gainful employment. This information may be based on a valid statistical sample.
sUbchapter III
Veterans Housing loan program
45.30 Purpose. (1) Legislative findings. It is determined that veterans, who have sacrificed in the service of their country valuable years of their lives and considerable earning potential, constitute a readily identifiable and particularly deserving segment of this state's population. It is further determined that by making additional housing funds available to eligible veterans, limited private home loan funds will be more readily available to all. It is further determined that the loan programs established under this subchapter are special purpose credit programs for an economically disadvantaged class of persons for the purposes of
15 USC 1691-1691f.
(2) Legislative intent. This subchapter is created principally to enable the state and the authority to exercise their borrowing power to increase those funds available for loans providing for the purchase or construction of private housing, without requiring down payments beyond the reach of families of modest means. It is the intent of the legislature that the department in its administration of this subchapter avoid the duplication of those administrative services available through private lending institutions, utilizing the administrative services of such institutions to the maximum extent consistent with the purposes of this subchapter.
45.31 Definitions. In this subchapter:
(1) "Anticipated annual shelter payment" means the total annual payments anticipated for the following, as determined by the department or authorized lender on the basis of the loan applied for under s. 45.37:
(a) Real estate taxes on the premises to be mortgaged.
(b) Insurance premiums for coverage required under s. 45.37 (3) (b).
(c) Required payments on principal and interest on all mortgages placed or to be placed against the home of an eligible person.
(2) "Authority" means the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
(3) "Authorized lender" means any lender or servicer authorized under s. 45.37 (5) (a) 5. to make or service loans under s. 45.37.
(4) "Closing costs" include:
(a) Any origination fee authorized under s. 45.37 (5) (b).
(b) Attorney fees.
(c) Recording fees.
(d) Other costs authorized by the department.
(5) "Eligible person" means any person eligible under s. 45.33 (1) and not disqualified under s. 45.33 (2) to receive a loan under this subchapter.
(6) "Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation" means the corporation created under
12 USC 1451 to
1459.
(7) "Funds" include cash on hand and liquid investments owned by the veteran and his or her spouse, individually or jointly, unless the veteran and spouse are legally separated under s. 767.07.
(8) "Guaranteed loan" means a loan guaranteed by the U.S. department of veterans affairs under
38 USC 1801 to
1827.
(9) "Home" means a building or portion of a building used as the veteran's principal place of residence, and includes condominiums and income-producing property, a portion of which is used as a principal place of residence by the veteran, and the land, including existing improvements, appertaining to the building.
(10) "Income" means the sum of the federal adjusted gross income plus any income received that may reasonably be expected to be regular and dependable.
(11) "Insurer" means any insurer authorized to do business in this state.
(12) "Manufactured home" means a structure, as defined by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, which meets or exceeds the statutory size under s. 348.07 (2).
(13) "Monthly payment" means all of the following:
(a) Required payments on principal and interest.
(b) Insurance premiums for coverage required under s. 45.37 (3) (b).
(c) One-twelfth of annual real estate taxes on the mortgaged property.
(14) "Qualified purpose" means any purpose authorized under s. 45.34 (1).
45.32 Powers of the department. With respect to loans made by and mortgages and mortgage notes executed or properties mortgaged to the department or to authorized lenders under this subchapter, the department may do any of the following:
(1) Execute necessary instruments.
(2) Collect interest and principal.
(3) Compromise indebtedness due on mortgage notes.
(4) Sue and be sued.
(5) Exercise the rights of a mortgagee, generally including the right to do any of the following:
(a) Acquire or take possession of the mortgaged property and in so doing the department may accept voluntary surrender and conveyance of title to the property in full satisfaction of a mortgage debt or may bid for and purchase the property at a sheriff's sale or replevin the property.
(b) Commit itself to execute and execute subordination agreements, partial releases, and other necessary instruments.
(c) Set up and follow procedures to assure proper disbursement of the proceeds of insurance checks, share drafts, or other drafts covering damages sustained on mortgaged properties.
(d) Pay the principal and interest on any obligations incurred in connection with the mortgages on the property including real estate taxes, insurance premiums, attorney fees, and obligations created as a result of its exercise of powers vested in it under this subchapter.
(e) Exercise any other powers as may be necessary for the efficient administration of this subchapter.
(6) In contracts entered into under s. 45.37 (5) (a) 1., empower authorized lenders to exercise any of the powers vested in the department under this subchapter.
(7) Manage, operate, lease, exchange, sell, and otherwise convey real property.
(8) Grant easements in any real property the department acquires.
(9) Upon application by the mortgagor and agreement in writing executed by the parties:
(a) Extend the time in which the obligation under a mortgage note or any part of the obligation must be paid.
