(TRENTON) – To ensure that military families receive college tuition support, Assembly Democrats Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey (D-both Monmouth) sponsor a measure to permit spouses and dependents of military service members to qualify for in-state tuition in event that service member is transferred to another state.
The bill (A-5692) would amend the existing statute to change the in-State tuition classifications to also apply to a military service member’s spouse. Additionally, the bill would allow a service member’s spouse or dependent to keep their in-state tuition classification if they are related due to continued military service.
Upon the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee approval of the measure on Thursday, Assembly members Houghtaling and Downey issued the following joint statement:
“Tuition payment plays a major role in where students decide to attend college. Many students choose in-state colleges with the presumption that they will be paying a reduced tuition. On average, military families relocate every 2-3 years and it can make the unanticipated out-of-state payments much more difficult to afford. This bill would protect members of military families from increased tuition due to their transfer and will allow students to continue their education with their original school of choice.”