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Bill

H 68

An act relating to expanding the National Guard Tuition Benefit Program

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ashley Bartley and 25 co-sponsors

H.68 expands the Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit to cover graduate degrees and a second bachelor’s, with in-state rates and a Vermont service obligation.

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Education
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Bill Summary · H 68

Overview

  • Bill: H.68 (2025-2026) – Vermont
  • Topic: Expands the Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program (VNGTBP) to cover graduate degrees and a second baccalaureate degree for eligible National Guard members.
  • Status: Introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education; effective July 1, 2025 if enacted.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill broadens access to the Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program by allowing eligible members to pursue graduate studies or a second undergraduate degree while receiving in-state tuition support.
  • It maintains the program’s core structure while extending eligibility to additional degree pathways, subject to the same eligibility criteria and service commitments.

Key provisions and changes

  • Creation and scope of the Program (16 V.S.A. § 2857):
    • Eligible participants: active Vermont National Guard members who meet criteria (see eligibility section) may receive tuition benefits for up to full-time attendance.
    • Tuition benefit calculations by institution type:
    • Vermont State College institutions and University of Vermont and State Agricultural College (UVM): in-state tuition rate.
    • Eligible Vermont private postsecondary institutions: in-state rate charged by UVM.
    • Eligible training institutions (nondegree/certificate/continuing ed): the lower of the institution’s standard tuition or UVM in-state rate.
    • Non-Vermont approved Title IV institutions (where Vermont degree programs aren’t available): UVM in-state rate.
  • Tuition payment and obligations (b):
    • VSAC administers the benefit, funded by specific General Assembly appropriations.
    • Institutions charge the member at in-state rates; proration for part-time study.
    • Promissory note required: member must repay if they don’t complete the required Vermont National Guard service commitment or if benefits are terminated.
    • Graduate-degree participants must, after degree receipt and until service commitment is fulfilled, be employed full-time in Vermont (or actively seeking full-time employment in Vermont if unemployed).
  • Eligibility criteria (c):
    • Active Vermont National Guard member; completed basic training.
    • Enrolled in Vermont institution(s) leading to undergraduate certificate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree, or eligible training program for a certificate/credential recognized by VSAC.
    • No prior undergraduate degree funded under this or similar state programs for Guard members.
    • Demonstrates satisfactory academic progress per standards set by the Guard and VSAC (in consultation with the educational institution).
    • Must have utilized available federally funded military tuition benefits (with specified exceptions for certain benefits that do not count against eligibility, e.g., Post-9/11 benefits that are not yet exhausted, Montgomery GI Bill, housing allowances, other entitlements, etc.).
    • Submission of a good-standing statement from commanding officer within 30 days before each semester.
  • Multiple credentials (c)(2):
    • Members may pursue more than one undergraduate certificate or credential recognized by VSAC, as long as total tuition cost does not exceed full-time in-state rate for a bachelor’s degree at UVM.
  • Graduate degree eligibility (c)(3):
    • An individual may pursue a graduate degree under the Program even if they previously earned an undergraduate degree funded under the Program.
  • Service commitment (d):
    • Full-time: 2 years of Vermont National Guard service per academic year attended to receive full benefit.
    • Less than full-time: service obligation prorated by credit hours (one month per credit hour, up to a max of 12 months per semester).
    • Termination of service leads to pro-rata reimbursement obligations (see promissory note terms).
  • Termination of benefits (e):
    • Adjutant and Inspector General may terminate for: loss of good standing, academic or disciplinary dismissal, withdrawal without good cause, or failure to meet the graduate work requirement after earning a graduate degree.
    • Termination triggers repayment of tuition and disqualification from future benefits.
  • Policies and guidelines (f):
    • VSAC, with the Adjutant General’s Office, will adopt implementation policies (eligibility, application, proration, data sharing, “good cause” criteria, etc.).
    • Institutions must adopt enrollment policies aligned with VSAC guidelines.
  • Reporting (g):
    • Institutions must annually report enrollment and tuition benefit usage by November 1.
    • VSAC and the National Guard must report data, performance metrics, and costs to the Governor and relevant legislative committees by January 15 each year.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2025.

Who would be affected

  • Vermont National Guard members seeking higher education, including:
    • Students pursuing undergraduate certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate degrees at Vermont institutions.
    • Students enrolling in eligible private Vermont institutions, Vermont-based training programs, or Title IV-approved programs outside Vermont when applicable.
  • Educational institutions participating in the program (VSCs, UVM, eligible private colleges, eligible training providers).
  • VSAC (administers benefits) and the Vermont Adjutant and Inspector General (oversight and eligibility discipline).
  • Governor and legislative committees receive annual performance and cost reports.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Administration:
    • VSAC administers payments; institutions bill in-state tuition rates.
    • Institutions and VSAC develop guidelines; data-sharing and good-cause criteria defined.
  • Service and repayment:
    • Clear two-year per full academic year service requirement; prorated for part-time study.
    • Promissory notes govern repayment if service is not completed or if the benefit is terminated.
  • Reporting:
    • Annual institutional reports due November 1; state-level performance/cost reports due by January 15.
  • Funding:
    • Program is contingent on specific General Assembly appropriations to fund the tuition benefits.

Overall, H.68 expands access to the Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program to cover graduate and second bachelor’s degree paths, maintains an income-appropriate tuition pricing model, and couples financial support with a defined service commitment and post-completion employment expectation in Vermont.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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