Rep. Chris Turner’s Bill to Assist Veterans With College Financial Aid Programs Passes House

Texas Colleges and Universities to Designate Employee to Help Veterans and Family Members Receive the Educational Benefits They Have Earned

Austin - Yesterday the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 3951, authored by Rep. Chris Turner, which states that a Texas public college and university must designate a staff member to be trained in student financial assistance benefits for veterans and their families.

Although many colleges and universities currently have staff in place to aid students understand their benefits through the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills and the Hazelwood Act, it is not a requirement and many of the education related resources available to veterans and their families may go unused as those eligible may be reluctant to wade through the sometimes complicated process.

“I have spoken to universities and community colleges and they agree that there is a need to have a financial aid officer who is able to assist veterans with these issues,” said Turner. “It is critical that the employee the veteran is speaking to is well-versed in all of the benefits and programs available.”

“With the new Post-9/11 GI Bill taking effect and the number of new veterans returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is imperative that we ensure they receive the benefits that have earned by bravely serving our nation,” continued Turner. “With more soldiers returning and more looking to go back to school following their military service, having someone who is available and aware of all the requirements and rules of veterans benefits is more important now that ever.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are over 1.7 million veterans in the state of Texas and 42,562 receiving GI benefits. Texas has the highest number of soldiers, over 213,000, that have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001, with approximately 35,000 Texas troops are currently serving in Iraqand Afghanistan.

House Bill 3951 is joint-authored by State Representatives David Leibowitz and Joseph Moody. It passed out of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs with a 6-0 vote in late April. The bill will now head to the Senate for approval.