It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 30-3 of the General Laws entitled "National Guard" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

{ADD 30-3-40.3. Educational benefits for National Guard members. -- ADD} {ADD Any person who is an active member in good standing of the Rhode Island National Guard, who is a Rhode Island resident, and who is enrolled in or otherwise eligible to attend, at any state college or university in Rhode Island may be eligible for a tuition assistance educational benefit amounting up to one hundred percent (100%) of each semester's basic tuition or general fee charges for credit courses, under such provisions as the adjutant general and the commissioner of higher education may jointly determine. Assistance for tuition and general fee shall be available only to the extent that funds are available in the restricted receipt account funded pursuant to section 31-3-62 . Admission in particular courses will be granted upon a space available basis, and shall be at the discretion of the particular institutions to which application is made aforesaid.

In order to be eligible for subsequent tuition waivers a person must remain a member in good standing in the Rhode Island National Guard and a student in good standing at a state college or university since the award of the initial tuition waiver.

Entitlement to tuition assistance is predicated upon satisfactory attendance at unit training assemblies and annual training periods. Further, tuition assistance will only be granted pursuant to a written contractual commitment by the member providing for a one (1) year period of obligated service in the Rhode Island National Guard for each four (4) courses for which the soldier is granted tuition assistance. Such assistance shall be available for courses creditable to associate, bachelor's or master's degrees. Failure to satisfactorily fulfill the service obligation incurred due to tuition assistance shall require repayment of a pro-rata share of said assistance. This obligation shall be considered to be a debt owed to the state and may be satisfied by offset against any state transfer payments or state income tax refunds. The restricted receipt account shall be used by the adjutant general for the cost of each semester's basic tuition or general fee for each member of the National Guard enrolled under this section.

For the purpose of the section, an active member of the Rhode Island army and air National Guard shall be defined as any person certified by the adjutant general as currently serving under honorable conditions in either the Rhode Island army or air National Guard. ADD}

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.