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Gov. Northam signs education bill to help military families

Posted at 11:04 AM, Apr 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-30 17:22:21-04

HAMPTON, Va. - Gov. Ralph Northam signed an education bill on Monday meant to help military families.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Mamie Locke, says the children of military members can go to schools where they will permanently be living free of tuition.

"There's no question that the children of active duty military men and women have challenges that perhaps other children don't," said Gov. Ralph North during the bill signing ceremony at Kecoughtan High School.

Sen. Locke says sometimes when families move here they're forced to live in temporary housing at first and their kids must start at schools near the temporary housing, or they're forced to pay tuition to send their kids outside of the districts. "This is actually a very simple bill arising out of a serious need and a serious concern," she said.

The bill also helps families when they're leaving the area by allowing the children to stay enrolled in schools until the end of the school year, even if a parent has already moved.

The bill unanimously passed in the General Assembly in March.

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