§288. Educational benefits for children, spouses, and surviving spouses of veterans

            A.(1) For the purpose of this Subsection, "qualified veteran" shall mean a member of the armed forces of the United States of America who:

            (a) Was either killed in action, died in active service from other causes, is missing in action, is a prisoner of war, died as a result of a service-connected disability incurred during a wartime period as defined in R.S. 29:251.2, or who, prior to death, was rated ninety to one hundred percent service-connected disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule or was determined by the department to be unemployable as a result of a service-connected disability, and who was a resident of Louisiana for a period of not less than twelve months immediately preceding entrance into service or for a period not less than twelve months prior to the veteran's death or who had been permanently assigned and reported for duty to an active, National Guard, or Reserve installation or assignment in the state of Louisiana.

            (b) Is rated ninety to one hundred percent service-connected disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule or is determined by the department to be unemployable as a result of a service-connected disability and has been a resident of Louisiana for a period of not less than twelve months prior to the veteran's child's admission into a program of education at a public postsecondary institution.

            (2) Any child, not less than sixteen nor more than twenty-five years of age, of a qualified veteran may attend any public postsecondary education institution within the state without having to pay tuition, matriculation, registration, laboratory, athletic, medical, and other school-imposed fees, including but not limited to nonresidency and other special fees.

            B.(1) For the purpose of this Subsection, "qualified veteran" shall mean a member of the armed forces of the United States of America who was killed in action, died in active service from other causes, is missing in action, is a prisoner of war, died as a result of a service-connected disability incurred during a wartime period as defined in R.S. 29:251.2, or who, prior to death, was rated ninety to one hundred percent service-connected disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs by evaluation of the rating schedule or was determined by the department to be unemployable as a result of a service-connected disability, and was a resident of Louisiana for a period of not less than twelve months immediately preceding entrance into service or for a period not less than twelve months prior to death or who had been permanently assigned and reported for duty to an active, National Guard, or Reserve installation or assignment in the state of Louisiana.

            (2) A spouse or surviving spouse of a qualified veteran, within ten years from the date of eligibility, may attend any public postsecondary education institution within the state without having to pay tuition, matriculation, registration, laboratory, athletic, medical, and other school-imposed fees, including but not limited to nonresidency and other special fees.

            C. The public postsecondary education institution shall not grant the benefits provided under the provisions of this Section if the student has received or is receiving the benefits provided under the provisions of R.S. 17:1686.

            Amended by Acts 1952, No. 562, §1; Acts 1970, No. 666, §1; Acts 1972, No. 131, §1; Acts 1973, No. 170, §1; Acts 1977, No. 636, §1; Acts 1990, No. 350, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1195, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1031, §1; Acts 2023, No. 46, §1, eff. June 1, 2023; Acts 2024, No. 74, §1.