A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to help veterans maximize their federal GI Education Benefits.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 14 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116‑143.3A.  Tuition of veterans.
(a)	The following definitions apply in this section:
(1)	Abode. – Defined in G.S. 116‑143.3(a)(1).
(2)	Armed Forces. – Defined in G.S. 116‑143.3(a)(2).
(3)	Veteran. – Any person who is honorably discharged from the Armed Forces on or after July 1, 2011.
(b)	Notwithstanding G.S. 116‑143.1(b), a veteran qualifying for admission to an institution of higher education as defined in G.S. 116‑143.1(a) shall be charged the in‑State tuition rate without having maintained legal residence in North Carolina for at least 12 months immediately prior to the veteran's classification as a resident for tuition purposes if the veteran satisfies all of the following criteria:
(1)	The veteran's last duty station was in North Carolina.
(2)	The veteran's abode is North Carolina.
(3)	The veteran satisfies all other conditions for domicile.
(4)	The veteran is eligible for benefits under the federal Post‑9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.
(5)	The veteran enrolls in an institution of higher education within five years of the date of the veteran's discharge from the Armed Forces.
(c)	A veteran who is classified as a resident for tuition purposes under this section shall continue to be eligible for in‑State tuition under this section for no more than 12 months from the date the veteran enrolls in the degree or other program."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to academic semesters beginning on or after July 1, 2012.