Expands tuition benefits available to disabled veterans to permit veterans who are Oregon residents and are 80 percent or more disabled, and the spouse and child of disabled veterans, to have tuition waived for enrollment in a vocational program or an associate degree, baccalaureate degree or master's degree program at community colleges, public universities and the Oregon Health and Science University.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 668
Sponsored by Senator BONHAM (at the request of Senator Noah Robinson) (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act allows Oregon veterans who are 80 percent disabled not to have to pay costs
for certain college classes. The Act includes the spouse and child of those disabled veterans. The
Act declares an emergency and becomes law when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score:
61.2).
Expands tuition benefits available to disabled veterans to permit veterans who are Oregon res-
idents and are 80 percent or more disabled, and the spouse and child of disabled veterans, to have
tuition waived for enrollment in a vocational program or an associate degree, baccalaureate degree
or master’s degree program at community colleges, public universities and the Oregon Health and
Science University.
Prohibits the reduction of the amount of tuition that is waived by the amount of scholarships,
grants or other aid a qualified student receives.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to tuition benefits connected to disabled veterans; amending ORS 350.285; and declaring
an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 350.285 is amended to read:
350.285. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Child” means a child, adopted child or stepchild of either a service member or a Purple
Heart recipient.
(b) “Eligible post-secondary institution” means:
(A) A public university listed in ORS 352.002;
(B) A community college operated under ORS chapter 341; and
[(B)] (C) The Oregon Health and Science University.
(c) “Purple Heart recipient” means a person, alive or deceased, who:
(A) Was relieved or discharged from service in the Armed Forces of the United States with ei-
ther an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions; and
(B) Was awarded the Purple Heart in 2001 or thereafter for wounds received in combat.
(d) “Qualified student” means a service member or a child, a spouse or an unremarried sur-
viving spouse of a service member or a child of a Purple Heart recipient.
(e) “Service member” means a person who:
(A) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died on active duty;
(B) As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, died as a result of a military service
connected disability; or
(C) Is [ 100] 80 percent or more disabled as the result of a military service connected disability,
as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any branch of the Armed Forces
of the United States.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3213
SB 668
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(2) Subject to subsections (3) to (7) of this section, an eligible post-secondary institution shall
waive tuition for a qualified student for courses in a vocational program or that may lead to an
associate degree, a baccalaureate degree or a master’s degree. A qualified student [ who received
a tuition waiver for a baccalaureate degree may also qualify for a tuition waiver for a master’s
degree] may qualify for tuition waivers for multiple programs or degrees under this section .
(3)(a) The maximum waiver granted under this section shall be as follows:
(A) For a vocational program, the total number of credit hours required to complete the
program.
(B) For an associate degree, the total number of credit hours that equals two years of
full-time attendance at an eligible post-secondary institution.
(C) For a baccalaureate degree, the total number of credit hours that equals four years of full-
time attendance at an eligible post-secondary institution.
[(B)] (D) For a master’s degree, the total number of credit hours that equals two years of full-
time attendance at an eligible post-secondary institution.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a waiver may not exceed the total number
of credit hours the qualified student needs to graduate [ with] from a vocational program or with
an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree or a master’s degree.
(4) A waiver may be granted under this section only for credit hours for courses that are offered
by an eligible post-secondary institution and are available for enrollment.
(5) A qualified student may receive a waiver under this section if the student:
(a) At the time of application for a waiver, is considered a resident of this state for the purpose
of determining tuition to be paid at an eligible post-secondary institution; and
(b) Has been admitted to an eligible post-secondary institution for a vocational program, an
associate degree program or a baccalaureate degree program or has been admitted to a master’s
degree program at an eligible post-secondary institution.
(6)(a) A child who applies for a waiver under this section must be 23 years of age or younger
at the time the child applies for a waiver.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a child who is older than 23 years of age
is eligible for a waiver for a master’s degree if the child:
(A) Applied for and received a waiver for a baccalaureate degree when the child was 23 years
of age or younger; and
(B) Applied for a waiver for a master’s degree within 12 months of receiving a baccalaureate
degree.
(7)(a) The amount of tuition waived under this section may not be reduced by the amount of any
federal aid scholarships or grants, awards from the Oregon Opportunity Grant program established
under ORS 348.205, or any other aid from the eligible post-secondary institution, received by the
qualifiedstudent.
(b) The amount of tuition waived under this section may not be reduced by the amount of any
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 paid to a qualified
student.
SECTION 2.
This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
[2]