AN ACT to establish the north carolina veterans education tuition supplement program and to appropriate funds for that purpose.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. north carolina veterans education tuition supplement program

SECTION 1.(a)  Program Established. – There is established for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year the North Carolina Veterans Education Tuition Supplement (NCVETS) Program (Program). Each postsecondary board shall separately administer the Program in the 2024‑2025 academic year to provide supplemental tuition assistance grant awards for eligible students enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution overseen by that board.

SECTION 1.(b)  Definitions. – The following definitions shall apply in this section:

(1)        Eligible postsecondary institution. – Any of the following:

a.         A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.

b.         A community college located in North Carolina.

(2)        Eligible student. – Any person who meets all of the following criteria:

a.         Is enrolled for the 2024‑2025 academic year in an eligible postsecondary institution.

b.         Receives post‑9/11 GI Bill benefits for the 2024‑2025 academic year that amount to less than one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of tuition, excluding fees, necessary to attend an eligible postsecondary institution.

(3)        Post‑9/11 GI Bill benefits. – Benefits received by a student at an eligible postsecondary institution under Chapter 33 of Title 38 of the United States Code.

(4)        Postsecondary board. – Any of the following:

a.         The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina.

b.         The State Board of Community Colleges.

SECTION 1.(c)  Awards. – For the 2024‑2025 academic year, each postsecondary board shall award grants to eligible students under the Program to cover the additional tuition costs needed for enrollment at eligible postsecondary institutions overseen by that board, after the eligible students received post‑9/11 GI Bill benefits, subject to the following:

(1)        No grant awarded under the Program shall exceed forty percent (40%) of the cost of tuition for the 2024‑2025 academic year at an eligible postsecondary institution in which a student is enrolled.

(2)        If an eligible student receives any other scholarship or grant covering the cost of tuition at the eligible postsecondary institution, then the amount of the award provided under the Program shall be reduced by an appropriate amount determined by the postsecondary board so that the total amount of scholarships and grants received by the student does not exceed the cost of tuition, excluding fees, for that institution.

(3)        In the event there are not sufficient funds appropriated for the Program to provide all eligible students the maximum award available under the Program, each eligible student shall receive a pro rata share of the funds needed by that student.

SECTION 1.(d)  Rules. – Each postsecondary board shall adopt rules for the administration of the Program.

SECTION 1.(e)  Report. – No later than February 15, 2025, each postsecondary board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the implementation of the Program, including the number of eligible students receiving awards, where each eligible student is enrolled, and the award amount for each student.

part ii. appropriation

SECTION 2.  For the 2024‑2025 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amounts in nonrecurring funds to provide awards to eligible students under the Program, as described in Section 1 of this act:

(1)        The sum of five hundred fifty‑five thousand dollars ($555,000) to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina.

(2)        The sum of seventy‑five thousand dollars ($75,000) to the State Board of Community Colleges.

part iii. effective date

SECTION 3.  Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2024. Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 4, 2024.