1Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
2Consolidated Statutes, further providing for tuition waiver
3for children and spouses of deceased soldiers.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Section 3503(a) and (a.1) of Title 51 of the
7Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

8§ 3503. Tuition waiver for children and spouses of deceased
9soldiers.

10(a) Children.--The children of members of the Pennsylvania
11National Guard who were killed or die as a result of injuries
12received while performing duty in an official duty status
13authorized under Federal or State law shall be entitled to a
14waiver of all tuition costs and fees remaining after receipt of
15other scholarships and education benefits and Federal and State
16grants, including, but not limited to, educational gratuities

1for which the children are or may be eligible under the act of
2December 16, 1998 (P.L.980, No.129), known as the Police
3Officer, Firefighter, Correction Employee and National Guard
4Member Child Beneficiary Education Act, at all Pennsylvania
5State-owned colleges or universities, approved trade schools,
6State-related institutions of higher learning or community
7colleges in this Commonwealth for a period not exceeding eight
8semesters or four years, whichever is greater. In order to be
9eligible for waiver of tuition and fees under this section, the
10member of the Pennsylvania National Guard must have been a bona
11fide resident of Pennsylvania at any time during his service in 
12the Pennsylvania National Guard or at the time of his death, and
13the member's children must be bona fide residents of
14Pennsylvania, eligible for resident tuition at the institution
15to which they have applied, at the time they apply for the
16tuition and fee waiver.

17(a.1) Spouses.--The spouse of a member of the Pennsylvania
18National Guard who was killed or dies as a result of injuries
19received while performing duty in an official duty status
20authorized under Federal or State law shall be entitled to a
21waiver of all tuition costs and fees remaining after receipt of
22other scholarships and education benefits and Federal and State
23grants at any Pennsylvania State-owned college or university,
24approved trade school, State-related institution of higher
25learning or community college in this Commonwealth for a period
26not exceeding eight semesters or four years, whichever is
27greater. A spouse shall be eligible for a waiver of all tuition
28costs and fees remaining after receipt of other scholarships and
29education benefits and Federal and State grants under this
30subsection for a period not to exceed ten years from the date

1the member is killed or dies as a result of injuries while in
2Federal or State active duty or until the spouse remarries,
3whichever occurs first. In order to be eligible for waiver of
4tuition and fees under this section, the member of the
5Pennsylvania National Guard must have been a bona fide resident
6of Pennsylvania at any time during his service in the 
7Pennsylvania National Guard or at the time of his death, and the
8member's spouse must be a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania,
9eligible for resident tuition at the institution to which the
10spouse has applied, at the time the spouse applies for the
11tuition and fee waiver.

12* * *

13Section 2. The amendment of 51 Pa.C.S. § 3503(a) and (a.1)
14shall be retroactive to September 11, 2001.

15Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.