Two bills making their way through the Indiana Statehouse could, if passed, assist student service members and veterans as they seek to earn post-secondary education degrees.
“We are really encouraged to see the Indiana legislature’s bipartisan interest in supporting student service members and veterans,” said Stacie Hitt, director of MFRI’s Operation Diploma initiative. “Our legislative leaders are taking important steps toward ensuring these students have access to important tools that will help successfully obtain their educational and career goals.”
On Tuesday (Jan. 10), SB 253 was approved by the Senate Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs committee and has now moved to the House for consideration. Authored by Sen. Susan Glick, R-Howe, the bill would require state educational institutions to establish policies that provide a way for students who successfully completed training and coursework for military service to receive credit at the state institutions.
Such courses would have to meet the standards for awarding academic credit established by the American Council on Education, as well as the institution’s role, scope and mission. In addition, the Commission for Higher Education would be required to adopt rules establishing uniform guidelines for the state institutions to follow when carrying out the requirements.
The law would also provide a way for occupational or professional licensure boards to issue licenses, certificates, registrations, or permits to military service applicants or their spouses. To receive the licenses, military applicants or their spouses would have to meet certain requirements as set forth by the issuing board. The boards would also be required to issue temporary practice permits or provisional licenses while the military service applicant or military spouse is satisfying requirements for permanent licensure.
A second bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott Reske, D- Pendleton, also requires a state educational institution to provide post-secondary credit for military training upon recommendation by the American Council of Education.
Additional provisions of Reske’s bill would establish Combat to College Programs at state educational institutions, which would be required to provide a centralized location for admissions, registration, and financial administration services for veteran students. These colleges and universities would also be required to offer reasonable accommodations for disabled veteran students at their fitness facilities and wwwelop programs to provide them academic guidance. Disabled student service members and veterans who experience post-traumatic stress disorder would also receive access to counseling services or other resources.
Reske’s bill would also require state educational institutions to wwwelop job search programs designed for veteran students, and give them hiring preference when seeking to fill institutional job openings.