Colorado National Guard Tuition Waiver Funding

HOUSE BILL 26-1386

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Brown and Taggart, Sirota, Bacon, Barron, Boesenecker, Bradfield, Bradley, Caldwell, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, DeGraaf, Duran, English, Espenoza, Feret, Flanell, Froelich, Garcia Sander, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Johnson, Joseph, Keltie, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey, Marshall, Martinez, Mauro, McC01mick, Nguyen, Paschal, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Rydin, Slaugh, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Suckla, Titone, Valdez, Velasco, Weinberg, Willford, Winter T., Zokaie, McCluskie; also SENATOR(S) Bridges and Kirkmeyer, Amabile.

CONCERNING CHANGING THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THE COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD TUITION WAIVER PROGRAM.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly ofthe State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-7 .4-302, amend (3)(a), (3)(b), and (7) as follows: 23-7.4-302. Tuition waiver for members of the National Guard - rules - fund - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal. (3) (a) Subject to annual appropriations, a person who is a 1nembe1

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of the act.

of the Colorado National Guard, upon being accepted for enrnllment at a designated institution ofhighe1 education, may pu1sue studies that lead to a postgrnduate degree, a bachelm's deg1ee, an associate degree, 01 a certificate of completion. with all tuition waived. EACH DESIGNATED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL, FOR A MEMBER WHO IS ACCEPTED FOR ENROLLMENT, WAIVE THE REMAINING BALANCE OF TUITION COST IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY PRIVATE, STATE, OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED BY THE MEMBER. For a member, the tuition waiver must not exceed more than sixty-five credit hours at a designated two-year institution of higher education and no more than one hundred thirty credit hours at a designated four-year institution of higher education; except that the total credit hours for a member who attends both a designated two-year and a designated four-year institution of higher education must not exceed more than one hundred forty-five credit hours. The department of military and veterans affairs shall administer the tuition waiver program. (b) (I) To prevent hardship to a designated institution of higher education, if there is a significant inc1ease in the member enrnlhnent in the

tuition waiver prngrnm, the number of membe1s attending with a tuition waiver must not exceed the greater of. THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS SHALL REIMBURSE A DESIGNATED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR FIFTY PERCENT OF THE COST OF MEMBERS' TUITION THAT IS WAIVED BY THE INSTITUTION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE MONEY TO THE COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD TUITION FUND, CREATED IN SUBSECTION (9) OF THIS SECTION, TO COVER FIFTY PERCENT OF THE COST OF TUITION WAIVED AT EACH DESIGNATED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.

(A) A twenty-five pe1cent increase in membe1 enrnllment in a designated institution of highe1 education comp at ed to the membe1 calculation desc1ibed in subsection (3)(b)(II) of this section, 01 (D) Mme than five additional membe1s enrnlled in a designated institution of higher education compared to the member calculation dcsc1 ibed in subsection (3)(b)(II) of this section. (11) For each designated institution of highe1 education, the department of military and vete1 ans affairs shall deter mine the base member

enrnllment desctibed in subsection (3)(b)(I)(A) 01 (3)(b)(l)(B) of this section by calculating the average fall semeste1 membe1 enrnllment at the designated institution of highe1 education fut the pt e vious tht ee fall semeste1s. The departm:ent of military and veterans affairs, in consultation with designated institutions of highe1 education, shall adopt rnles to dete1mine how to select membe1s to participate in the tuition waive1 pt og1 am if a significant inc1 ease in membe1 em ollment in the tuition wai vet prngrnm occms pu1suant to subsection (3)(b)(I) of this section. (III) The department of military and \J ete1 ans affairs shall dete1 mine community college membe1 enrnllment caps fut each community college. The departmet'tt of military and vete1 ans affairs shall pt o vide funds to the state boat d of community colleges and occupational education fut tuition wai vets. The state boat d ofconnnunity colleges and occupational education shall dist1 ibute the funds to each community college in which a membe1 is en1olled. (IV) tA} The department of military and veterans affairs may request adjustments to the annual appropriation based on changes to Colorado National Guard member enrollment and changes to the cost of tuition. (B) If the diffe1 ence between the calculated tuition fot base membe1 enxollment, as described in subsection (3)(b)(II) of this section, and the annual apprnptiation is less than twenty-five pe1cent, the department of military and veterans affairs may prnrnte funding and disttibute funds to each designated institution of highe1 education pt oportionately. (C) If the diffe1ence between the calculated tuition fo1 base membe1 enrnllment, as described in subsection (3)(b)(II) of this section, and the annual apprnpriation is mote than twenty-five pe1cent, the tuition waiveI prngram is suspended and the designated institutions of higher education shall distribute the 1emaining tuition wai\JeI funds on a fast-come, fit st-set ve basis to membe1 s until the tuition wai vet funds ate exhausted. (7) The department of military and veterans affairs shall adopt rules to certify member eligibility at the request of a designated institution of higher education, to communicate member eligibility to the designated institution of higher education, and to administer the tuition waiver program pursuant to this section, INCLUDING A PROCESS TO REIMBURSE A DESIGN A TED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR FIFTY PERCENT OF THE

COST OF TUITION WAIVED BY THE INSTITUTION.

SECTION 2. Effective date. This act takes effect July 1, 2026. SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

James Rashad Coleman, Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

APPROVED on Monday June 1st 2026 at 11:00am (Date and Time)

Jared S. Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO