Section 19-9-503 - Requirements for educational assistance; assistance payments(a) Subject to legislative appropriation and in accordance with the provisions of this article, the adjutant general or his designee, may authorize the payment of higher education tuition and mandatory fees for active members of the Wyoming national guard or for the spouse or dependents of active members of the Wyoming national guard as provided in subsection (c) of this section. To be eligible to participate in the plan members shall: (i) Have completed basic military training or officer training unless waived by the adjutant general for good cause shown;(ii) Meet the standards for satisfactory participation in the Wyoming national guard at the beginning of and throughout the entire academic term for which assistance is received;(iii) Be committed through an enlistment contract or other written agreement to membership in the Wyoming national guard for not less than six (6) years, including initial enlistment and any previous contract or contracts;(iv) Agree in writing to serve in the Wyoming national guard for two (2) years after the last day of the last academic term for which assistance is received under the plan. This two (2) year period of service may be within the six (6) year commitment period required by paragraph (iii) of this subsection;(v) Have declared an academic major or educational objective; and(vi) Meet the academic standards specified in this paragraph and otherwise be in good standing as determined by the institution of higher education pursuant to a published policy. Any member receiving educational assistance under the plan who fails to earn a cumulative grade point average at least equivalent to 2.0 on a 4.0 scale shall be ineligible for educational assistance under the plan until the member attains that cumulative grade point average, unless the adjutant general for cause and pursuant to rule and regulation waives the grade point average requirement.(b) Members meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of this section or spouses or dependents under subsection (c) of this section may receive educational assistance benefit payments as follows:(i) For authorized courses at a Wyoming public institution of higher education, payment may be made for up to the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees;(ii) For authorized courses at a Wyoming private institution of higher education, payment may be made for the lesser of the actual costs of tuition and mandatory fees or an amount equal to the average resident tuition and mandatory fee charges of all Wyoming public institutions of higher education for an undergraduate student enrolled for twelve (12) semester hours;(iii) Eligible members or spouses or dependents under subsection (c) of this section who are not Wyoming residents may receive benefits as provided in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection, but the benefit payment shall not exceed the amount of tuition and mandatory fees that would have been charged if the member or the spouse or dependent under subsection (c) of this section were a Wyoming resident;(iv) Payment shall be made directly to the institution after the institution officially certifies that the member or the spouse or dependent under subsection (c) of this section has registered;(v) Payments under the plan together with any federal tuition assistance received by the member or the spouse or dependent under subsection (c) of this section shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the tuition and mandatory fees charged.(c) Members of the Wyoming national guard who meet the standards for satisfactory participation in the Wyoming national guard, upon completion of their initial mandatory service obligation under paragraph (a)(iii) of this section, may transfer any Wyoming national guard educational assistance plan benefits that have not reached the limits under W.S. 19-9-504(a) and (c) to their spouse or dependent to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. The transfer of benefits by the member requires the member to agree in writing to serve in the Wyoming national guard for not less than four (4) additional years after the date the benefit has been transferred. This four (4) year period of service is in addition to the six (6) year commitment period required by paragraph (a)(iii) of this section. The member's spouse or dependent may subsequently transfer any remaining benefits that have not reached the limits under W.S. W.S. 19-9-504(a) and (c) back to the member to use subject to this section. The member and the member's spouse or dependent cannot use the benefits concurrently.Amended by Laws 2023, ch. 127,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2023.