Relating to courses of study and training programs of the Iowa law enforcement academy and veterans educational assistance benefits, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to courses of study and training programs of the Iowa law enforcement academy and federal veterans educational assistance benefits. The bill directs the director of the Iowa law enforcement academy, subject to the approval of the Iowa state approving agency of the department of education, to amend its administrative rules to require that the academy’s courses of study and training programs meet the requirements of nondegree programs under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. Under current law, veterans, service members on active duty, and spouses and children of veterans who died in the line of duty cannot receive reimbursement for academy-related educational and training expenses and fees under this federal law because the academy does not have approved nondegree programs. The bill directs the director of the academy, within days of the effective date of the Act, to apply to the Iowa state approving agency of the department of education for approval of the academy’s courses of study and training programs as nondegree programs under the federal law. The Iowa state approving agency of the Iowa department of education is responsible for approving programs in Iowa eligible to provide benefits to individuals under the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008. The bill creates an immediate effective date upon enactment.