Priority college admission for service members expanded, advanced

Lawmakers gave second-round approval April 27 to a bill that would give priority college admission to certain uniformed service members after amending it to expand eligibility.

LB669, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, would require Nebraska’s public postsecondary institutions to accept military and veteran students who apply to enroll as undergraduates if they otherwise meet admissions requirements.

A student who graduates from a Nebraska high school on or after Jan. 1, 2022, signs enlistment papers to serve in a uniformed service and meets other requirements related to the length of their service would be eligible.

Nebraska high school graduates and individuals who graduate from high school in another state on or after Jan. 1, 2022, and served in a uniformed service while assigned to a location in Nebraska also would qualify if they received an honorable discharge from a uniformed service.

Vargas introduced an amendment on select file under which students who graduate from high school on or after Jan. 1, 2002, also would qualify. Vargas said the amendment also would add an emergency clause to the bill to ensure its provisions would be operative before the upcoming school year.

After adopting the Vargas amendment 39-0, senators advanced LB669 to final reading by voice vote.