NE LB1117

Requires dependents of veterans to exhaust all federal Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits before becoming eligible for Nebraska's tuition waiver program at state universities, state colleges, and community colleges

Establishes a new 50% state reimbursement to postsecondary institutions for veteran dependent tuition waivers, beginning July 1, 2028, administered by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

Adds a 3.0 GPA requirement for qualifying children of first responders to maintain eligibility for tuition waivers under the First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act

Expands first responder tuition waiver reimbursements from state universities only to include state colleges and community colleges, with 50% reimbursement beginning July 1, 2028

Caps tuition waivers for first responders and their qualifying children at 120 credit hours or five years, whichever comes first, and clarifies that the waiver covers remaining tuition after federal aid and state grants are applied