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Minutes for HB2646 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Modifying the financial limitations on awards under the Kansas hero's scholarship act and broadening the eligibility requirements for such awards.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 6, 2024
Chair Baumgardner opened the hearing.
Tamera Lawrence, Senior Assistant Revisor, The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave an overview of the bill. (Attachment 5)
Dr. Blake Flanders, President and CEO, Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), told the committee that this bill modifies the Kansas Hero's Scholarship which requires Kansas post secondary institutions to waive tuition and fees for the spouses and dependents of Kansas public safety and military personnel who are disabled or killed in the line of duty. Institutions apply to KBOR for reimbursement for the waived tuition and fees, which is paid by a State General Fund appropriation to KBOR. The cap for reimbursement in statute is $500,000. This bill would make several changes to make the Act easier to administer and benefit service members' spouses and dependents. Those changes include:
- Elimination of the annual cap of $500,000.
- Require institutions to grant waivers only up to the amount available for reimbursement.
- Elimination of the requirement that the service member died or was injured or disabled before September 11, 2001.
- Would replace the wording of "as a result of" military service and replace it with "while serving"
- Changes current qualification as to a service member's (1) the disability rendered to the Service member incapable of continuing his or her service, or (2) the Service member entitled to VA Benefits for a service-connected disability of at least 80%. (Attachment 6)
Proponent Written Only Testimony submitted by:
Wendy D. Doyle, President and CEO, United WE (Attachment 7)
Mike Kelly, State Legislative Chair, Kansas Council of Chapters, Military Officers Association of America. (Attachment 8)
Discussion followed.
The Chair closed the hearing.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:13 PM.
The next meeting will be held Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 1:30 PM in Room 144-S.
