An Act To Allow All Veterans To Be Eligible for In-state Tuition Rates
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1768
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI, TUTTLE, DEVIN, EVES, FREDETTE, HUBBELL, SCHNECK
Amends: 20-A MRSA §10010

Legislative Document 
No. 1768 
H.P. 1267 
House of Representatives, February 11, 2014 
An Act To Allow All Veterans To Be Eligible for In-state Tuition 
Rates 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Cosponsored by Senator TUTTLE of York and 
Representatives: DEVIN of Newcastle, Speaker EVES of North Berwick, FREDETTE of 
Newport, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, McCABE of Skowhegan, SCHNECK of Bangor. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, this legislation provides greater affordability to veterans for attendance at 
Maine's postsecondary educational institutions; and 
Whereas, veterans may need to make their decisions about which postsecondary 
educational institution to attend prior to the end of the 90-day period; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §10010, as amended by PL 2013, c. 311, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
§10010.  Veterans 
Regardless of the state of residence, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United 
States who is enrolled in an undergraduate program of education at any campus of the 
University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or the Maine 
Maritime Academy is eligible for in-state tuition rates.  If the veteran is using the benefits 
under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, that veteran must 
receive a waiver from the tuition that remains after the application of all payments from 
the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, including payments under the Yellow Ribbon 
G.I. Education Enhancement Program in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance 
Act of 2008, and the application of other nonrepayable resources for which the veteran 
may be eligible.  The amount of the tuition waiver received by a veteran under this 
section may not exceed an amount that lowers the tuition to less than the in-state tuition 
charged by the institution.  This section applies to all veterans enrolled at any campus of 
the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or Maine 
Maritime Academy in an undergraduate program of education.  A nonresident student 
entitled to a waiver under this section must be considered eligible for in-state tuition. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
Current law allows veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States who use so-
called G.I. Bill benefits for tuition at any campus of the University of Maine System, the 
Maine Community College System or the Maine Maritime Academy to be eligible for in-
state tuition rates, regardless of their state of residency.  This bill extends that eligibility 
for in-state tuition rates to all veterans, regardless of their state of residency and 
regardless of whether they use G.I. Bill benefits to pay tuition.