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SB108 INTRODUCED
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SB108
5V1IW3M-1
By Senators Jones, Butler, Allen, Givhan, Weaver, Woods,
Sessions, Bell, Kelley, Hovey, Kitchens, Shelnutt, Stutts,
Elliott, Roberts, Barfoot, Waggoner, Carnley, Price, Chesteen
RFD: Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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5V1IW3M-1 01/08/2026 JWB (L)bm 2026-90
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First Read: 13-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, certain members of the
National Guard may receive tuition reimbursement
through the National Guard Educational Assistance
Program when seeking a college degree or certain other
certifications.
This bill would authorize tuition assistance for
workforce development programs, in addition to tuition
assistance, through the National Guard Educational
Assistance Program.
This bill would authorize the use of tuition
assistance for additional educational expenses, such as
on-campus living expenses and meal plans.
Under existing law, guard members who achieve a
certain grade point average requirement are authorized
to receive academic excellence benefits in addition to
educational reimbursement through the program.
This bill would remove any reference to academic
excellence benefits and revises the requirements to
qualify for tuition assistance.
This bill would repeal a section that provides
certain qualifications for the National Guard
Educational Assistance Program.
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A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the National Guard; to amend Sections
31-10-2, 31-10-3, and 31-10-4, Code of Alabama 1975; to
authorize tuition assistance for workforce development
programs through the National Guard Educational Assistance
Program; to authorize assistance payments through the program
at the beginning of an academic term; and to repeal Section
31-10-4.1, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to qualifications
for the National Guard Educational Assistance Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 31-10-2, 31-10-3, and 31-10-4, Code
of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§31-10-2
The following words used in this article have the
following meanings:
(1) ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BENEFITS. Additional funds for
guard members who are enrolled undergraduate students who
graduated from high school with a cumulative GPA greater than
3.5 and, while enrolled in an institution of higher education
in this state, have maintained a 3.0 collegiate cumulative
GPA. These funds may be used for tuition, fees, or ancillary
costs.
(2)(1) ACTIVE MEMBER. A member of a federally
recognized unit of the Alabama National Guard meeting the
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recognized unit of the Alabama National Guard meeting the
minimum requirements for satisfactory membership as defined in
the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force
regulations.
(3)(2) ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD. Federally recognized
units of the Alabama National Guard.
(4)(3) ANCILLARY COSTS. Expenses incurred outside of
tuition related to educational costs, including textbooks,
additional course fees, or other course related course-related
costs.
(4) EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. The per term cost of required
on-campus living expenses, such as the cost of living in a
residence hall or dormitory, and per term cost of required
on-campus meal plans.
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. A public or
private two-year or four-year college or university, community
college, or junior college located within the state.
(5)(6) QUALIFYING ACADEMIC PATHWAY. A postsecondary
program at an institution of higher education in the state
that is one of the following:
a. A program that has been identified as a Pell Grant
eligible program for which the student earns credits required
for a postsecondary degree at the undergraduate level.
b. A graduate program that is the individual's first
degree sought at that level.
c. A workforce development program.
(6)(7) TUITION. The per term cost of instruction and
mandatory instructional fees to the public or private
postsecondary student not to exceed the median cost of tuition
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postsecondary student not to exceed the median cost of tuition
per term, such as quarter or semester, of all public four-year
institutions of higher education in this state as reported to
the Alabama Commission on Higher Education by state-supported
institutions of higher education and appearing on the tuition
plus required fees report of the commission, for classes or
courses that count towards toward the individual's degree or
certificate plan as designed and approved by the college a
workforce development program, technical school, or
institution of higher education attended for the individual's
declared program of study. Differential tuition is not
included.
(8) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. A professional or
workforce development program that includes accredited and
nonaccredited certification or stand-alone training. A
nonaccredited course may only be classified as a workforce
development program if the program complies with Section
31-10-3. "
"§31-10-3
(a) Subject to the annual appropriation to the Alabama
National Guard Educational Assistance Program in the annual
Education Trust Fund Appropriation Act, provided the annual
appropriations shall not exceed ten million dollars
($10,000,000), the Alabama Commission on Higher Education may
pay or reimburse the qualifying tuition for any active member
of the Alabama National Guard who is one of the following:
(1) A student dually or concurrently enrolled in high
school and an institution of higher education.
(2) A postsecondary student who is enrolled in an
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(2) A postsecondary student who is enrolled in an
institution of higher education.
(3) A postsecondary student who is dually or
concurrently enrolled in more than one institution of higher
education and is enrolled in a program leading to a qualifying
academic pathway, including a short certificate or long
certificate, or workforce development program, associate
degree , baccalaureate bachelor's degree , masters master's
degree , or doctorate degree in an accredited institution of
higher learning, including a community or technical college or
an approved nonaccredited course or certificate program within
this state.
(b) The annual appropriation to the National Guard
Educational Assistance Program shall be ten million dollars
($10,000,000). This amount shall be reevaluated annually in
order to correspond with the average change in the costs of
higher education.
(c) The Alabama National Guard Education Services
Officer shall annually approve all nonaccredited workforce
development programs that are not associated with a two-year
or four-year institution of higher education. Assistance shall
not be provided for unapproved nonaccredited workforce
development programs.
(b)(d)(1) The payments or reimbursements assistance
shall be : (i) made timely at the endbeginning of the semester
or within one month after the beginning of the academic period
of each academic quarter or semester for all tuition
reimbursements assistance payments , and shall be ; (ii) made on
the basis of certified invoices submitted by the institution
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the basis of certified invoices submitted by the institution
to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education ,; and shall
be(iii) supported by names of the students receiving the
benefits assistance , together with the amounts claimed for each
student. The tuition reimbursement assistance authorized under
this article may be used for undergraduate or graduate
studies.
(2) In no event shall payments of the toward tuition and
fees, reimbursement ancillary costs, or educational expenses
under the Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance
Program amount to more than 100 percent of qualified tuition
and fees the median cost of tuition per term of all public
four-year institutions of higher education in this state as
reported to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education . An
undergraduate student that qualifies for the Academic
Excellence Benefit shall receive an amount equivalent to 100
percent of qualified tuition and fees. Undergraduate students
with this benefit may use these funds for tuition and fee
reimbursement or ancillary costs.
(3) No guardactive member shall be eligible for tuition
reimbursement or academic excellence benefits and fees,
educational expenses, or ancillary cost assistance for more
than 12 years after the date of the first tuition payment to
him or her the active member under this article.
(4) In the event that If requests for tuition
reimbursements assistance provided for in this article from the
institutions for educational benefits in any fiscal year
exceed the appropriated amount, then the
reimbursements payments shall be prorated equally among the
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reimbursements payments shall be prorated equally among the
institutions on a percentage basis of the total invoices
received by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and
paid accordingly. The reimbursement assistance payments shall
be made promptly at the end of each academic quarter or
semester upon receipt for all certified invoices.
(e)(1) The assistance under this article shall be
claimed for no more than a total of 120 academic hours or
until receipt of the first bachelor's degree, whichever occurs
first. The 120 academic hours shall not include more than 72
academic hours earned at a community college.
(2) An active member who has already obtained a
bachelor's degree is not eligible to receive assistance from
this program leading to a second bachelor's degree.
(3) If the benefits were not used by an active member
for a bachelor's degree, the program benefits for graduate
students under this article shall be claimed for no more than
a total of 60 academic hours or until the receipt of the first
graduate degree.
(4) An active member who has already obtained a
graduate degree is not eligible to receive assistance from
this program leading to a second graduate degree.
(f) To the extent permitted by law, the assistance
provided for under this article shall be applied in a
last-dollar manner to maximize all of the active member's
educational benefits to include educational expenses and
ancillary costs.
(g) No public institution of higher education in the
state may impose a nonresident tuition rate or differential
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state may impose a nonresident tuition rate or differential
out-of-state resident fee on an active member in good standing
who meets the requirements of Section 31-10-4. "
"§31-10-4
(a) In order to be eligible to receive tuition
reimbursement assistance under this article, the member student
must meet the following minimum requirements :
(1) Be an active member of the Alabama National Guard
and must have completed basic training .;
(2) Be 17 years of age or older;
(2)(3) The member must be Be a member in good standing
with the Alabama National Guard as prescribed by regulations
promulgated by the Department of the Army , and the Department
of the Air Force, and by rules adopted by the Military
Department of the State of Alabama, at the time of application
and during the entire before the beginning of the course,
training, semester , or quarter for which benefits are
received .;
(4) Comply with the standards of Satisfactory Academic
Progress as required for Title IV benefits under the Higher
Education Act and as defined by that educational institution,
and maintain a 2.0 grade point average or the letter grade
equivalent. Students who are no longer eligible to receive
Title IV benefits due to a failure to meet Satisfactory
Academic Progress standards shall no longer be eligible to
receive benefits under this section until the student
sufficiently improves to meet the required standards;
(5) Complete a Free Application for Federal Student
Aid. This requirement is not applicable for any high school
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Aid. This requirement is not applicable for any high school
students dually or concurrently enrolled in high school and an
institution of higher education; and
(6) Sign a promissory note or similar document with
provisions for the collection and repayment of assistance in
the event that the member is disqualified or otherwise becomes
ineligible to continue to receive benefits pursuant to this
article.
(3)(b) In the event the individual's service in the
Alabama National Guard is terminated or his or her service
becomes unsatisfactory while receiving assistance or for four
years after receiving the benefits assistance afforded by this
program, the benefits will assistance shall be terminated and
repaid by the individual on a pro rata basis. After
termination for the above causes , or after an individual will
be ineligible for any further benefits under this article. If
for any reason an individual is dismissed from any school for
academic or disciplinary reasons, he isthe individual shall be
ineligible for further benefits assistance from this program.
TheWith consultation of the Alabama National Guard Education
Services Officer and the Adjutant General of the State of
Alabama, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall be
the final authority for making such determinations.
(c) Any member who is disqualified from serving in the
Alabama National Guard due solely to medical reasons with a
Veterans Administration disability rating of 40 percent or
greater shall be exempt from repaying any assistance received
under this section.
(4)(d) The Alabama Commission on Higher Education of
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(4)(d) The Alabama Commission on Higher Education of
the State of Alabama and the Alabama State Military Department
shall be responsible for the promulgation of jointly adopt
rules and regulations for the administration and
implementation of to administer, advise, and implement this
article including rules and regulations providing for the
selection of persons individuals to receive benefits assistance
under this article. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education
of the State of Alabama shall be the final authority in
determining eligible applicants.
(5)(e) The Adjutant General of the State of Alabama , or
his or her delegate, shall serve as an advisor to the Alabama
Commission on Higher Education for the purpose of be the final
authority in determining the eligibility of members of the
Alabama National Guard to receive benefits under this
article."
Section 2. Section 31-10-4.1, Code of Alabama 1975,
providing qualifications for tuition reimbursement under the
National Guard Educational Assistance Program, is repealed.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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