A bipartisan measure would let eligible New Jersey National Guard members transfer state tuition benefits to a spouse or dependent child attending a public college or university.
A bill that would allow eligible members of the New Jersey National Guard to transfer their state-funded tuition benefits to a spouse or dependent child has cleared the New Jersey Senate with unanimous support and now moves to the Assembly for consideration.
Senate Bill 3387 passed the Senate on June 18 by a 40-0 vote after advancing through both the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The legislation is sponsored by Sens. Raj Mukherji and Anthony M. Bucco, with bipartisan support from several co-sponsors.
Expanded use of tuition benefits
Under current New Jersey law, eligible National Guard members may attend public institutions of higher education tuition-free for up to 16 credits per semester. To qualify, members must complete Initial Active Duty Training, remain in good standing, and apply for available state and federal financial aid programs.
The legislation would expand that benefit by allowing an eligible Guard member to transfer the tuition assistance to either a spouse or one dependent child. A member would be permitted to transfer the benefit to only one person.
To receive the transferred benefit, the spouse or child would need to be accepted and enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a public institution of higher education and apply for all available state and federal grants and scholarships for which they are eligible.
Different credit limits for spouses and children
The bill establishes separate tuition benefit limits depending on who receives the transfer. A spouse would be eligible to receive up to 16 tuition-free credits per semester at a public college or university.
A dependent child receiving the benefit would be eligible for up to eight tuition-free credits per semester under the proposal.
Supporters of the measure say the change would provide National Guard families with greater educational opportunities while helping military households manage the cost of higher education.
Next stop is the Assembly
The legislation was introduced in the Senate on Feb. 9 before being transferred to the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which reported the bill favorably on Feb. 19. It later advanced through the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 4.
Following Senate approval, the bill was received in the Assembly on June 18 and referred to the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee for further consideration.
If approved by the Assembly and signed into law, the measure would expand access to one of New Jersey’s existing higher education benefits for National Guard members and their families.
Key Points
• Senate Bill 3387 would allow eligible New Jersey National Guard members to transfer tuition benefits to a spouse or dependent child.
• Spouses could receive up to 16 tuition-free credits per semester, while dependent children could receive up to eight.
• The bill passed the New Jersey Senate unanimously, 40-0, and has been referred to the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
