It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 30-3-40.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-3 entitled "National Guard" is hereby amended to read as follows:

30-3-40.3. Educational benefits for National Guard members. -- 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.

{ADD 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. ADD}

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.

SECTION 2. Section 30-8-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-8 entitled "Decorations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

30-8-9. Rhode Island defense service medal. -- (a) Members of the national guard ordered, called, or drafted to active duty under the constitution and laws of the United States during the operation desert shield/desert storm call-up {ADD and all members of the National Guard who were part of the selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990 through November 30, 1995 ADD} or federal call-ups subsequent thereto, or those serving on full-time national guard training duty during the federal call-up, may be awarded the Rhode Island Defense service medal. No more than one Rhode Island defense service medal shall be awarded to any person, but for each succeeding service, a bronze oak-leaf cluster shall be awarded in lieu thereof.

(b) The adjutant general shall follow the provisions of sections 30-8-6 and 30-8-7 with reference to the design and procurement of the medal and the rules, regulations, and orders with reference thereto.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.