A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT providing that children of wartime veterans receiving a class i‑a, i‑b, or IV scholarship may use those funds to cover the cost of short‑term workforce training courses leading to industry credentials.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 143B‑1225 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑1225.  Scholarship.
(a)	A scholarship granted pursuant to this Part shall consist of the following benefits in either a State or private educational institution:
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(6)	A Class I‑A, I‑B, and IV scholarship, as defined in G.S. 143B‑1226(b), may be used at any time during the student's period of entitlement to cover the cost of short‑term workforce training courses leading to industry credentials. In no case shall the cost of short‑term workforce training courses plus tuition and other allowances authorized by subdivision (1) of this subsection exceed the total scholarship awarded.
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑1227 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑1227.  Administration and funding.
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(d)	Scholarship recipients electing to attend a private educational institution shall be granted a monetary allowance for each term or other academic period attended under their respective scholarship awards. All recipients under Class I‑B scholarship shall receive an allowance at one rate, irrespective of course or institution; all recipients under Classes I‑A, II, III and IV shall receive a uniform allowance at a rate higher than for Class I‑B, irrespective of course or institution. The amount of said allowances shall be determined by the Director of the Budget and made known prior to the beginning of each fall quarter or semester; provided that the Director of the Budget may change the allowances at intermediate periods when in his judgment such changes are necessary. Disbursements by the State shall be to the private institution concerned, for credit to the account of each recipient attending said institution. The manner of payment to any private institution shall be as prescribed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The participation by any private institution in the program shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this Part and to examination by State auditors of the accounts of scholarship recipients attending or having attended private institutions. The Veterans' Affairs Commission may defer making an award or may suspend an award in any private institution which does not comply with the provisions of this Part relating to said institutions. A Class I‑A, I‑B, and IV scholarship recipient may use the monetary allowance at any time during the student's period of entitlement to cover the cost of short‑term workforce training courses leading to industry credentials. Disbursements by the State shall be to the community college providing the short‑term workforce training courses for credit to the account of each recipient attending the institution. In no case shall the cost of the short‑term workforce training courses plus disbursements made to the community college exceed the total monetary allowance the student is eligible for during the period of entitlement.
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SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.