SB 668
Expands tuition benefits available to disabled veterans to permit veterans who are Oregon residents and are 80 percent or more disabled, and the spouse and child of disabled veterans, to have tuition waived for enrollment in a vocational program or an associate degree, baccalaureate degree or master's degree program at community colleges, public universities and the Oregon Health and Science University.
| Status | In Senate Committee (JWM) |
| Requested by | (at the request of Senator Noah Robinson) |
| Sponsors | Daniel Bonham (Republican) (Chief), Noah Robinson (Republican) (Chief), David Brock Smith (Republican) (Chief) |
| Fiscal impact | Fiscal impact issued |
| Revenue impact | No revenue impact |
| Emergency clause | Yes |
Bill Text
Expands tuition benefits for disabled veterans and their families, and appropriates funds for veterans’ home and farm loans.
Overview#
Digest: The Act allows Oregon veterans who are 80 percent disabled not to have to pay costs for certain college classes. The Act includes the spouse and child of those disabled veterans. The Act declares an emergency and becomes law when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2). Expands tuition benefits available to disabled veterans to permit veterans who are Oregon residents and are 80 percent or more disabled, and the spouse and child of disabled veterans, to have tuition waived for enrollment in a vocational program or an associate degree, baccalaureate degree or master’s degree program at community colleges, public universities and the Oregon Health and Science University. Prohibits the reduction of the amount of tuition that is waived by the amount of scholarships, grants or other aid a qualified student receives. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Public Testimony
| Name | Organization | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chad Kernutt | Albany | Support | 2025-02-04 |
| John Wykoff | Oregon Community College Association | Oppose | 2025-02-06 |
| Cindy Timmons | Milton Freewater | Support | 2025-02-06 |
Legislative History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-13 | S | Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk. |
| 2025-01-17 | S | Referred to Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs. |
| 2025-02-06 | S | Public Hearing held. |
| 2025-02-18 | S | Work Session held. |
| 2025-02-21 | S | Recommendation: Without recommendation as to passage and be referred to Ways and Means. |
| 2025-02-21 | S | Referred to Ways and Means by order of the President. |
| 2025-06-27 | S | In committee upon adjournment. |