HB2529 Summary

• Requires all public colleges and universities to conduct a survey within 60 days of veterans and active duty military services and programs available on campus, including usage numbers, location, and access information, and post results on campus websites and internet homepages.

• Mandates public colleges and universities with campuses having over 1,000 full-time students appoint or hire a Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Student Services within 6 months to serve as an ombudsperson and advocate for student veterans and their families.

• Requires the Coordinator to make best efforts to provide student veterans information on non-academic benefits including VA home loans, government career opportunities, and federal and state contracting preferences for veterans.

• Directs the Coordinator to create a centralized source for veterans to learn about all eligible benefit programs and services, and to regularly advertise the coordinator's office location, phone number, and services on campus websites and in student recruitment materials.

• Requires the Board of Higher Education and Department of Veterans' Affairs to conduct a joint review of all surveys and post links on their websites; authorizes them to issue a best practices report highlighting beneficial programs with fiscal needs assessments.