This bill modifies the residency requirement for the tuition and fee remission
program for certain veterans and their spouses and children enrolled in University
of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.
Under current law, if certain criteria are met, veterans and their spouses and
17- to 25-year-old children are eligible for full remission of tuition and fees at UW
System schools and technical colleges for up to eight semesters or 128 credits,
whichever is longer. Under the veterans fee remission program, the veteran must
be a resident of this state when he or she entered military service or be a resident of
this state for at least five consecutive years immediately before the veteran registers
at a UW System school or technical college. Under the fee remission program for the
spouse or child of a veteran who suffered service-connected death or disability, the

veteran must have been a resident of this state when he or she entered military
service or one of the following must apply: 1) if the veteran, while a resident of this
state, died on active duty, died as the result of a service-connected disability, or died
in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training purposes, the veteran
must have resided in this state for at least five consecutive years while an adult, or
2) if the veteran received at least a 30 percent service-connected disability rating,
the veteran must have resided in this state for at least five consecutive years
immediately before the veteran's spouse or child registers at a UW System school or
technical college. In addition, if a veteran was not a resident of this state when he
or she entered military service, the veteran's spouse or child is eligible for tuition and
fee remission only if the spouse or child has resided in this state for at least five
consecutive years immediately before the spouse's or child's enrollment in a UW
System school or technical college.
This bill eliminates the five-year durational residency requirement for
veterans and their spouses and children under the tuition and fee remission program
under circumstances in which the veteran was not a resident of this state when he
or she entered military service. Under the bill, if the veteran was not a resident of
this state when he or she entered military service, the veteran is still eligible for the
tuition and fee remission program if the veteran is a resident of this state
immediately before the veteran registers at a UW System school or technical college.
Also under the bill, if the veteran was not a resident of this state when he or she
entered military service, the veteran's spouse and children are still eligible for the
tuition and fee remission program if the spouse or child resided in this state
immediately before the spouse or child registers at a UW System school or technical
college and if the veteran, as described in 1), above, resided in this state at any time
while an adult or the veteran, as described in 2) above, resided in this state
immediately before the veteran's spouse or child registers at a UW System school or
technical college. If the applicable requirements for fee remission are met, the
veteran or the veteran's spouse or child is eligible for fee remission regardless of
whether the veteran or veteran's spouse or child would otherwise qualify as a
resident student for tuition or fee purposes.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB597,1 1Section 1. 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,3,52 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. a. A person who has served on active duty under honorable
3conditions in the U.S. armed forces, in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed
4forces, in the national guard, or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces; who

1was a resident of this state at the time of entry into that service or resided in this state
2for at least 5 consecutive years after the person attained the age of 18; and who, while
3a resident of this state, died on active duty, died as the result of a service-connected
4disability, or died in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training
5purposes.
SB597,2 6Section 2. 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,3,127 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. b. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of
8entry into service described in subd. 1m. a. or resided in this state for at least 5
9consecutive years
immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session
10for which the person's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. registers at an
11institution, and who the U.S. department of veteran affairs has awarded at least a
1230 percent service-connected disability rating under 38 USC 1114 or 1134.
SB597,3 13Section 3 . 36.27 (3n) (a) 1r. of the statutes is created to read:
SB597,3,1514 36.27 (3n) (a) 1r. “Nonresident tuition" has the meaning given in sub. (3p) (a)
151m.
SB597,4 16Section 4 . 36.27 (3n) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,3,2317 36.27 (3n) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (bd) and (bg), the board shall
18grant full remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees for
19128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, less the number of credits or
20semesters for which the person received remission of fees under s. 38.24 (7) and less
21the amount of any nonresident tuition, academic fees, or segregated fees paid under
2238 USC 3319, to any resident student who maintains a cumulative grade point
23average of at least 2.0 and is also any of the following:
SB597,5 24Section 5. 36.27 (3n) (bd) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,4,6
136.27 (3n) (bd) If an eligible veteran was not a resident of this state at the time
2of entry into service described in par. (a) 1m. a., the board may grant a remission of
3nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees under this subsection only
4if the eligible veteran's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. has resided
5in this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the spouse's or
6child's enrollment in an institution.
SB597,6 7Section 6 . 36.27 (3n) (bg) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,4,238 36.27 (3n) (bg) Before the Board of Regents may grant a remission of
9nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees under par. (b), the Board of
10Regents shall require the resident student to apply to the payment of those fees all
11educational assistance to which the resident student is entitled under 38 USC 3319.
12If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester,
13that credit or semester shall not count against the 128 credit or 8 semester limit
14provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance covers less than 100 percent of
15those fees for a credit or semester and the remission under par. (b) covers the
16remainder of those fees, the credit or semester shall count against that limit in the
17proportion that the remission bears to the total nonresident tuition, academic fees,
18and segregated fees charged for that credit or semester. This requirement applies
19notwithstanding the fact that the resident student may be entitled to educational
20assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 as well
21as under 38 USC 3319, unless the resident student has 12 months or less of eligibility
22remaining for educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38
23USC 3500
to 3566.
SB597,7 24Section 7 . 36.27 (3n) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,5,12
136.27 (3n) (bm) 1. For a resident student who is entitled to educational
2assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 and under
338 USC 3319, if the amount of educational assistance, not including educational
4assistance for tuition, to which the resident student is entitled under 10 USC 16132a,
510 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 is greater than the amount of educational
6assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, that the resident
7student received under 38 USC 3319, as determined by the higher educational aids
8board, in the academic year the higher educational aids board shall reimburse the
9resident student for the difference in those amounts of educational assistance, as
10calculated by the higher educational aids board, from the appropriation account
11under s. 20.235 (1) (fz). The higher educational aids board shall make that
12determination and calculation in consultation with the Board of Regents.
SB597,5,1713 2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the
14appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under
15subd. 1. to all resident students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher
16educational aids board and the Board of Regents shall reimburse those resident
17students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
SB597,8 18Section 8 . 36.27 (3n) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,5,2119 36.27 (3n) (c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of
20regents for all nonresident tuition, academic fees , and segregated fees remitted
21under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).
SB597,9 22Section 9. 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,6,423 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. (intro.) “Veteran" means a person who is verified by the
24department of veterans affairs as being a resident of this state for purposes of
25receiving benefits under ch. 45; as being a resident of this state at the time of his or

1her entry into the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces
2or as being a resident of this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately
3preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person registers at
4an institution; and as meeting any of the following conditions:
SB597,10 5Section 10. 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,6,136 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. a. A person who has served on active duty under honorable
7conditions in the U.S. armed forces, in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed
8forces, in the national guard, or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces; who
9was a resident of this state at the time of entry into that service or resided in this state
10for at least 5 consecutive years after the person attained the age of 18; and who, while
11a resident of this state, died on active duty, died as the result of a service-connected
12disability, or died in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training
13purposes.
SB597,11 14Section 11. 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,6,2015 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. b. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of entry
16into service described in subd. 1m. a. or resided in this state for at least 5 consecutive
17years
immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the
18person's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. registers at a technical college,
19and who the U.S. department of veteran affairs has awarded at least a 30 percent
20service-connected disability rating under 38 USC 1114 or 1134.
SB597,12 21Section 12 . 38.24 (7) (a) 1p. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,7,322 38.24 (7) (a) 1p. “Fees" means the amount charged to a resident student under
23sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in a course leading to an associate degree, collegiate
24transfer, or vocational diploma. In the case of a distance education, online, or other
25course for which the amount charged to enroll in the course equals at least 100

1percent of the cost of offering the course, “fees" includes the regular fees charged to
2a resident student under sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in the course and any additional
3fees charged to that student under sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in that course.
SB597,13 4Section 13 . 38.24 (7) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,7,115 38.24 (7) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (bd) and (bg), the district board
6shall grant full remission of fees for 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer,
7less the number of credits or semesters for which the person received remission of
8fees from any other district board under this subsection and from the Board of
9Regents under s. 36.27 (3n) (b) and less the amount of any fees paid under 38 USC
103319
, to any resident student who maintains a cumulative grade point average of at
11least 2.0 and is also any of the following:
SB597,14 12Section 14. 38.24 (7) (bd) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,7,1813 38.24 (7) (bd) If an eligible veteran was not a resident of this state at the time
14of entry into service described in par. (a) 1m. a., the district board may grant a
15remission of academic fees and segregated fees under this subsection only if the
16eligible veteran's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. has resided in this
17state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the spouse's or child's
18enrollment in a technical college.
SB597,15 19Section 15 . 38.24 (7) (bg) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,8,820 38.24 (7) (bg) Before the district board may grant a remission of fees under par.
21(b), the district board shall require the resident student to apply to the payment of
22those fees all educational assistance to which the resident student is entitled under
2338 USC 3319. If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of those fees for a
24credit or semester, that credit or semester shall not count against the 128 credit or
258 semester limit provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance covers less than

1100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester and the remission under par. (b)
2covers the remainder of those fees, the credit or semester shall count against that
3limit in the proportion that the remission bears to the total fees charged for that
4credit or semester. This requirement applies notwithstanding the fact that the
5resident student may be entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10
6USC 16163a
, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 as well as under 38 USC 3319, unless the
7resident student has 12 months or less of eligibility remaining for educational
8assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566.
SB597,16 9Section 16 . 38.24 (7) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,8,2110 38.24 (7) (bm) 1. For a resident student who is entitled to educational
11assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 and under
1238 USC 3319, if the amount of educational assistance, other than educational
13assistance for tuition, to which the resident student is entitled under 10 USC 16132a,
1410 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 is greater than the amount of educational
15assistance, other than educational assistance for tuition, that the resident student
16received under 38 USC 3319, as determined by the higher educational aids board,
17in the academic year the higher educational aids board shall reimburse the resident
18student for the difference in those amounts of educational assistance, as calculated
19by the higher educational aids board, from the appropriation account under s. 20.235
20(1) (fz). The higher educational aids board shall make that determination and
21calculation in consultation with the board and district board.
SB597,9,222 2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the
23appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under
24subd. 1. to all resident students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher

1educational aids board and the district board shall reimburse those resident
2students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
SB597,17 3Section 17. 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB597,9,104 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. (intro.) “Veteran" means a person who is verified by the
5department of veterans affairs as being a resident of this state for purposes of
6receiving benefits under ch. 45; as being a resident of this state at the time of his or
7her entry into the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces
8or as being a resident of this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately
9preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person registers at
10a technical college; and as meeting any of the following conditions:
SB597,18 11Section 18 . Initial applicability.
SB597,9,1312 (1) This act first applies to the first semester or session beginning after the
13effective date of this subsection.
SB597,9,1414 (End)
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