06 LC
21 8782S (SCS)
Senate
Bill 415
By:
Senators Douglas of the 17th, Seabaugh of the 28th, Grant of the 25th, Schaefer
of the 50th, Williams of the 19th and others
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-3-485 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to definitions relative to the Georgia HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and
their Offspring) Scholarship, so as to provide that surviving spouses shall be
eligible students; to provide that a person evacuated from a combat zone due to
severe injuries shall be deemed to have completed a qualifying term of service;
to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 20-3-485 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
definitions relative to the Georgia HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their
Offspring) Scholarship, is amended by striking paragraphs (2) and (5) and
inserting in their places, respectively, the following:
"(2)
'Eligible student' means a person who:
(A)(i)
Is enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an approved
school;
(ii)
Meets residency requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as
established pursuant to regulations of the authority and who remains a citizen
of the state while receiving funds under this subpart; and
(iii)
Is a member of the Georgia National Guard as such term is defined in Code
Section 38-2-3 or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the
United States, which member has completed at least one qualifying term of
service;
or
(B)
Is a child:
(i)
Whose parent was a member of the Georgia National Guard as such term is defined
in Code Section 38-2-3 or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of
the United States, including a deceased member, which member completed at least
one qualifying term of service;
(ii)
Who was born prior to such qualifying term of service or within nine months of
the beginning of such qualifying term of service; and
(iii)
Is 25 years of age or younger who is enrolled as a full-time or part-time
student in an approved
school.;
or
(C)
Is a surviving spouse of a deceased member of the Georgia National Guard as such
term is defined in Code Section 38-2-3 or of a deceased member of a reserve
component of the armed forces of the United States, which member completed at
least one qualifying term of
service."
"(5)
'Qualifying term of service' means deployment overseas for active service on or
after the effective date of this subpart to a location or locations outside of
the United States and its territories designated by the United States Department
of Defense as a combat zone for a consecutive period of at least 181 days or, in
the case of an individual who is killed or receives a 100 percent disability as
a result of injuries received in such combat zone, any period of time on active
service in such combat
zone;
provided, however, that any person who fails to serve the full 181 consecutive
days because he or she was evacuated from the combat zone due to severe injuries
shall be deemed to have completed a qualifying term of
service."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.