An Act To Offer Tuition Waivers for State Higher Education Facilities to Eligible Veterans March 6, 2007
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1013
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MITCHELL, MARRACHE, EBERLE, NORTON, SUTHERLAND

Legislative Document 
No. 1013 
S.P.330 
An Act To Offer Tuition Waivers for State Higher Education 
Facilities to Eligible Veterans 
March 6, 2007 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator MITCHELL of Kennebec. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senator: MARRACHE of Kennebec, Representatives: EBERLE of South 
Portland, NORTON of Bangor, SUTHERLAND of Chapman. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRS A c. 429-B is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 429-B 
ADDITIONAL TUITION WAIVERS AT STATE POSTSECONDARY 
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 
§12581. Definitions 
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1. Authority. "Authority" means the Finance Authority of Maine. 
2. State postsecondary educational institution. "State postsecondary educational 
institution" means the University of Maine System, the Maine Maritime Academy and the 
Maine Community College System. 
§ 12582. Eligibility criteria by category 
The following categories of persons are eligible for tuition waivers under this section, 
as long as other criteria set out in section 12583 are met: 
1. Veterans. Persons who are veterans. The authority shall by routine technical rule 
adopted in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A establish a definition for 
"veterans" under this chapter. 
§12583. Tuition waiver limitations 
1. Eligibility of person. A person is eligible for a tuition waiver under this chapter 
if the person: 
A. Is a Maine resident; 
B. Is a high school graduate or has attained a high school equivalency diploma as 
described under section 257; 
C. Is accepted for admission to a state postsecondary educational institution; and 
D. Meets other eligibility criteria by category established in section 12582. 
2. Limitation. The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is limited to a person 
who: 
A. Is participating in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program of at 
least one year; 
B. Has not been enrolled full time for more than 5 years or the equivalent; and 
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C. Has completed an application for federal student financial aid programs for which 
t~erson may be eligible. 
3. Continuation. The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is awarded on a yearly 
basis and continues to be available, if the person is otherwise eligible under this section, 
as long as the person remaInS In good academic standing at a state postsecondary 
educational institution. 
4. Revenue reduction. A state postsecondary educational institution shall absorb 
the reduction in tuition revenues that results from providing a tuition waiver to an eligible 
person under this chapter. 
The institution may not request additional General Fund 
appropriations from the Legislature to offset the reduction in tuition revenues. 
1 
§ 12584. Administration 
1. Application. A person desiring a tuition waiver under this chapter may apply to 
the authority for determination of eligibility. Application must be on forms and in a 
manner prescribed by rule of the authority. Rules adopted pursuant to this chapter are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
2. Decision. The authority shall determine whether an applicant is eligible and 
notify the applicant. The authority shall also notify the state postsecondary educational 
institution at which the person is accepted of the eligibility of that person for a tuition 
waiver. 
Unless notified by the authority of a change in the student's eligibility, the 
institution may not bill an eligible student for tuition during that school year. 
3. Limitation. Tuition waivers to eligible persons are limited to a certain number of 
new students per year in each year at state postsecondary educational institutions in 
accordance with routine technical rules adopted by the authority in accordance with Title 
5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A . 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes a tuition waiver for veterans at state postsecondary educational 
institutions. Under the bill, the Finance Authority of Maine will administer the tuition 
waiver program, as it currently does under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, 
chapters 429 and 429-A. The authority is given rulemaking powers to define "veteran" 
and to establish how many tuition waivers are available each year at each state 
postsecondary educational institution . 
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