A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide that the spouse of a member of the Armed forces shall be eligible to be charged the in‑state tuition rate when ABIDING with the member incident to active military duty and to continue to be eligible for the in‑STATE tuition rate if continuously enrolled in the institution of higher education when the member is reassigned or retires.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 116‑143.3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 116‑143.3.  Tuition of Armed Forces personnel and their spouses and dependents.
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(c)	Any dependent relative or spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who is abiding in this State incident to active military duty, as defined by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and by the State Board of Community Colleges while sharing the abode of that member shall be eligible to be charged the in‑State tuition rate, if the dependent relative or spouse qualifies for admission to an institution of higher education as defined in G.S. 116‑143.1(a)(3). The dependent relative or spouse shall comply with the requirements of the Selective Service System, if applicable, in order to be accorded this benefit. In the event the member of the Armed Forces is reassigned outside of North Carolina or retires, the dependent relative or spouse shall continue to be eligible for the in‑State tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees so long as the dependent relative or spouse is continuously enrolled in the degree or other program in which the dependent relative or spouse was enrolled at the time the member is reassigned or retires, provided, however, for a spouse to continue to be eligible, the spouse must reside in North Carolina while enrolled in the institution of higher education. In the event the member of the Armed Forces receives an Honorable Discharge from military service, the dependent relative or spouse shall continue to be eligible for the in‑State tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees so long as the dependent relative or spouse establishes residency within North Carolina within 30 days after the discharge and is continuously enrolled in the degree or other program in which the dependent relative or spouse was enrolled at the time the member is discharged.
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SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019, and applies beginning with the 2019‑2020 academic year.