Sign Up
SB 376 Connecticut Senate · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT ELIMINATING SERVICE IN TIME OF WAR AS AN ELIGIBILITY CRITERION FOR CERTAIN STATE AND MUNICIPAL VETERANS' BENEFITS.

SB 376 eliminates the requirement that veterans must have served during a declared war to qualify for tuition waivers at Connecticut's community-technical colleges and state universities. This change directly affects veterans who were previously ineligible for these benefits solely due to not meeting the wartime service condition. The bill amends state statutes by removing the phrase "performed service in time of war" from the eligibility criteria for veterans (as defined in state law). The waiver will now be available to all qualifying veterans domiciled in Connecticut, effective July 1, 2025.
Issues: ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves wartime service barrier for veterans' tuition waivers, expanding access to higher education benefits at state colleges/universities.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEliminates wartime service requirement, expanding tuition waiver access for veterans previously excluded from state education benefits.95% confidence
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Last action May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Proposed Bill → Committee Bill · 6 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended from a proposed version to a committee version, changing the bill number from 376 to SB 376 Committee Bill No. 376 and updating the Legislative Committee Order (LCO) number from 801 to 3600. The substantive policy content regarding tuition waivers for veterans and other eligible groups remains largely the same, though the formatting and numbering were reorganized during committee review.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on eliminating service in time of war as an eligibility criterion for certain state and municipal veterans' benefits, with the same eligibility categories for tuition waivers at community colleges and the Connecticut State University System.
TECHNICAL

Bill number changed from Proposed Bill No. 376 to Committee Bill No. 376 with updated LCO number from 801 to 3600

Formatting and line numbering were reorganized during committee review, with text restructured for clarity

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific eligibility criteria for tuition waivers including dependent children of missing in action or POW veterans, veterans with modified service definitions, seniors 62+, police/firefighter family members, National Guard members, and 9/11 victims' dependents

Modified eligibility requirements to remove 'service in time of war' as a criterion while maintaining other veteran benefits eligibility

TIMELINE

Added effective date of July 1, 2025 for the new tuition waiver provisions

REQUIREMENT

Added provision requiring tuition waivers to be reduced by the amount of educational reimbursement received from an employer

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
25
Key actions
5
Committee
7
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
May 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO COMMITTEE
upper
May 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs
upper
Jan 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE
upper
Jan 9, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.