Virginia State Council Of Higher Education, VA
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General Assembly to come back to fix veterans education benefit
Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, confirmed on Thursday that leaders of both chambers had agreed to return that day to address the issue in the budget that the assembly passed and Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed on May 13.
The budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 includes language that restricts eligibility for the benefit and limits benefits to undergraduate programs.
In addition, the language requires participants to apply for federal need-based financial assistance to offset some of the costs to the state.
'All we need to do is take out one line,' said Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, who has been advocating for the change. He tried to persuade the House of Delegates to amend the budget before its final vote last month.
Lucas said the assembly would act to protect current and pending participants in the fast-growing program, most of whom are already protected by a grandfather clause in the budget. But she added, 'I’ve still got some concerns about the escalating costs.'
The program’s costs have climbed sharply in recent years, and the budget language was aimed at reining them in," reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Photo: On Jan. 10, Gov. Glenn Youngkin congratulates Del. Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, on his election as the first African American to serve as speaker of the House of Delegates. The General Assembly will come back on June 28 to reconsider changes to a higher education benefit for families of military veterans either killed or almost completely disabled while on active duty. Earlier this week, Scott said: “We may have to come back with a short-term fix instead of solving the long-term problem.” Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH