SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1481        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2032

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James E. Timilty

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the transfer of tuition and fee reimbursements related to the National Guard.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1481        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2032

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to the transfer of tuition and fee reimbursements related to the National Guard.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 19 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 24 after the word “waivers”, the following:-

“After 10 years of honorable service, current Massachusetts National Guard members may transfer their tuition and fee waiver benefits to a current spouse or to the member’s child. The qualifying family member shall have been previously enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting Systems and must be eligible for benefits at the time of the transfer to receive benefits. Prior to the transfer of benefits, the member must sign a four year re-enlistment extension.

If the member ceases to be a member of the Massachusetts National Guard during the pendency of the four year re-enlistment period, the qualifying family member shall immediately cease to be eligible for the transferred tuition and fee waiver benefit. Notwithstanding, if a member completes 20 years of service with the Massachusetts National Guard, a qualifying spouse or qualifying child shall be eligible for benefits for 15 years after the service member’s separation from the Massachusetts National Guard. No qualifying child shall be eligible for the benefit until he or she has attained a secondary school diploma or has reached 18 years of age. ”