HB315 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jerry StarnesRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs; to amend Section 31-6-5, as last amended by Act 2022-91, 2022 Regular Session, Code of Alabama 1975; to expand eligibility for educational benefits to spouses of those who were killed while on active state duty status or whose death results proximately and within three years of an injury sustained while on state active duty status.

Summary

HB315 expands Alabama education benefits to include spouses of state active duty personnel killed in duty or who die within three years of a state active duty injury.

What This Bill Does

It adds eligibility for spouses of those killed on state active duty or who die within three years of an injury sustained on state active duty to receive education benefits. Eligible spouses can receive training at qualifying schools for up to five standard academic years (not more than 45 months) with tuition reimbursement guided by existing rules, and one program change is allowed without counseling, with completion required within eight years. Existing benefits for spouses of deceased or totally disabled veterans or POWs remain, subject to current limits such as undergraduate-only for first-time applicants and in-state tuition limits; private schools have tuition and books/fees reimbursement caps. If a beneficiary remarries before applying, benefits do not apply; if remarriage occurs during attendance, the spouse must pay tuition and fees from the time of remarriage.

Who It Affects

• Spouses or widows of Alabama service members who were killed while on state active duty or whose death occurs within three years of an injury sustained on state active duty, who would become eligible for the state's educational benefits.
• Spouses or widows who are already eligible for the state's educational benefits under current law (spouses of deceased or totally disabled veterans or prisoners of war) and will continue to be eligible under existing rules.

Key Provisions

• Expands eligibility to include spouses of those killed on state active duty or whose death is within three years of an injury sustained on state active duty.
• Provides five standard academic years (not exceeding 45 months) of training, with tuition reimbursement under existing guidelines; one program change allowed without counseling; completion required within eight years.
• Remarriage rules: benefits do not apply to spouses who remarried before applying; if remarriage occurs during school attendance, tuition and fees must be paid from the time of remarriage.
• Continuing limits: first-time applicants (starting Fall 2014-2015) limited to undergraduate courses and in-state tuition; private schools use tuition reimbursement and books/fees reimbursement with caps equivalent to DoD Tuition Assistance and $1,000 for books/fees per student.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Department of Veterans Affairs; additional benefits for spouses of those who were killed while on state active duty status