Oregon Legislative Update-Part 1
In its last regular session, the Oregon legislature passed four education-related bills, all of which were signed into law by Oregon’s governor. The scope and aim of each of these laws is varied, with some making minor technical changes to terminology in Oregon statutes and others exempting certain students from increased high school graduation requirements. Throughout the next week, we will feature each of these bills and offer a brief description of the effects of the new laws.
SB 595–Expanding Scope of Students Who Are Eligible for Tuition Waivers at Oregon Universities
SB 595 expands the scope of students who are eligible to receive tuition waivers under the tuition waiver program, codified at 2008 Oregon Laws, Chapter 39, § 9. The program allows certain students to obtain tuition waivers for courses which may lead to a bachelors or master’s degree at University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Western Oregon University, Southern Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University, and Oregon Health and Sciences University. Under the 2008 version of the program, tuition waivers only were available to children, spouses, and unremarried surviving spouses of members of the US Armed Forces who died on active duty after September 11, 2001, died as a result of military service connected disability sustained after September 11, 2001, or were 100 percent disabled as a result of military service connected disability sustained after September 11, 2001. SB 595 expands the scope of students who are eligible to receive the tuition waivers by removing the September 11, 2001 death or disability date restriction. Thus, under the new law, tuition waivers are available to any child, spouse, or unremarried surviving spouse of a member of the US Armed Forces who died on active duty, died as a result of a military service connected disability, or was 100 percent disabled as a result of a military service connected disability, regardless of the date of the US Armed Forces member’s death or disability.
SB 595 became effective on June 4, 2009 and operative on July 1, 2009. It is codified at 2009 Oregon Laws Advance Sheets, Chapter 236, §§ 1, 3.
