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Senate passes veterans tuition‑gap fixes to ease college completion
Summary
Senate passed SB 35, described by the sponsor as a cleanup to align the 2013 veterans tuition program with current federal benefit language and to improve access for veterans finishing bachelor's degrees; the bill passed by roll call (26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent).
The Utah State Senate approved Senate Bill 35, a statutory cleanup intended to clarify eligibility and wording for the Veterans Tuition Gap Act so veterans can complete their bachelor's degrees when federal benefits are exhausted.
Senator Escamilla, sponsor of SB 35, told the chamber the bill updates language from the 2013 program and was developed with input from the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and higher education stakeholders. "This helps our veterans finish their bachelor's degree," Escamilla said, framing the changes as clarifications to ensure access beyond GI Bill benefits.
The sponsor said the bill revises wording such as reference to "recognized versus regional" and clarifies when federal benefits are "exhausted versus maximized." Supporters said the language changes are intended to reduce administrative barriers and better match federal benefit terminology.
Senators voted on a roll call; the bill received 26 yea votes, 0 nay votes, and 3 absences and was passed and ordered for consideration by the other chamber.
Ending: SB 35 passed the Senate on a roll-call vote and was to be forwarded to the House for consideration.
