41-612. Post-9/11 veteran education relief fund; advisory committee; committee termination; definitions

A. The post-9/11 veteran education relief fund is established consisting of private donations, grants, bequests and any other monies. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated to the department solely for the purposes prescribed in this section. On notice from the director, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.

B. The post-9/11 veteran education relief advisory committee is established consisting of the following members:

1. The director or the director's designee.

2. One member who is recommended by the Arizona board of regents.

3. One member who holds a certificate from the state board of education and who has teaching experience that includes high school education or one public member who has teaching experience at a postsecondary institution.

4. One member who is an active duty or reserve member of the uniformed services of the United States or national guard or who has retired from active duty or reserve or national guard status and who has served as a command career counselor or in a regular assignment that included oversight of training or education programs.

5. Two public members who have professional experience in human resource management.

6. One member from an education profession who is employed by a public or private school entity.

7. Two members who are military members or family members of military members.

C. Except for the director, the governor shall appoint the members based on recommendations by the director, the adjutant general, the Arizona board of regents and commanders of military bases or reserve centers in this state. Appointed members shall serve for a term of two years that may be extended or renewed by the governor at the recommendation of the director. The advisory committee shall elect a chairperson from among the appointed members.

D. The advisory committee shall:

1. Establish criteria for the use of monies in the fund.

2. Establish and revise as necessary the application process for financial assistance.

3. Review and evaluate applications.

4. Make other recommendations as necessary.

E. The advisory committee may meet in executive session, with notice pursuant to section 38-431.02, to review and evaluate applications. Applications for financial assistance and all committee considerations and evaluations of the applications are confidential.

F. The monies in the fund shall be used to provide financial assistance pursuant to this subsection. A qualifying military veteran may apply for financial assistance for the cost of tuition at a university that is under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents and that is an Arizona veteran supportive campus as defined in section 41-609. The assistance shall be based on financial need up to the amount of tuition that the qualifying military veteran was charged in the last year that the veteran received benefits under the post-9/11 veterans educational assistance act of 2008 (P.L. 110-252; 122 Stat. 2357; 38 United States Code sections 3301 through 3325). The advisory committee shall make tuition assistance payments directly to the university.

G. The advisory committee shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section that include both the following:

1. A mechanism to publicize the availability of financial assistance to potential qualifying military veterans.

2. A procedure to ensure that financial assistance awards made before a military veteran withdraws from a university due to military activation remain available on reentry to a university.

H. The committee established by this section ends on July 1, 2024 pursuant to section 41-3103.

I. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Department" means the department of veterans' services.

2. " Director" means the director of the department of veterans' services.

3. " Military member" includes an active duty, reserve or retired member of the uniformed services of the United States or national guard, a veteran who is a member of a veterans' organization or a veteran who has a service-connected disability.

4. " Qualifying military veteran" means a person who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Is eligible for in-state tuition status pursuant to section 15-1802, subsection G.

(b) Is attending a university that is under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents and that is an Arizona veteran supportive campus as defined in section 41-609.

(c) Maintains a grade point average of at least 2.2 on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent.

(d) Has qualified for benefits under the post-9/11 veterans educational assistance act of 2008 (P.L. 110-252; 122 Stat. 2357; 38 United States Code sections 3301 through 3325).

(e) Has not transferred any portion of the person's benefits under the program to a dependent.

(f) Is within one year of completion of the person's first baccalaureate degree as a full-time student or within two years of completion of the person's first baccalaureate degree as a part-time student.