RICHMOND, Va. — Families across Virginia are breathing a sigh of relief after state lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to repeal changes to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program.
This is a story News 3 has been following for months. The passage ends, at least for now, a months-long fight.
“I think we’re feeling like it’s a step in the right direction. Certainly, it’s not a leap. I think that we’re going back to ground zero, but now that there’s money assigned to it," said Kayla Owen, the co-founder of a grassroots group working to get the changes repealed.
Watch: State lawmakers unveil bill to address VMSDEP changes
The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program gives spouses and children of veterans who are at least 90 percent permanently disabled because of their military service the chance to get their college tuition waived.
It also covers families of veterans who are killed, missing, or taken prisoner in combat, and also the families of first responders killed in the line of duty.
In the 2024 General Assembly session, lawmakers cut back eligibility for the program as part of the state budget. The reason? Some lawmakers said the program is not financially sustainable as is.
Watch: Virginia Houses passes bill to repeal VMSDEP changes
The program cost $65 million in the most recent academic year.
When the general assembly and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed off on the budget in May, the changes went into effect.
Ever since, families across the state had been working to get the changes repealed.
Watch: Bill aims to help military families retain critical health care benefits
“What do I want from the end of all of this? I want the legislating through the budget to stop," said Owen.
Many of the families had been in limbo, not knowing if they would be able to use the program because of the changes.
Watch: Nonprofit gives military families a day on the lake
The new bill repeals the changes and adds an additional $90 million in funding from the state’s surplus.
That bill is what passed Thursday by a unanimous vote.
“We want to make sure that the funding is there so the colleges and universities don’t have to charge increased tuition and other fees the they pass on to other students," said Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas.
Watch: Food pantry helping military families
The governor signed the bill Thursday afternoon and rfeleased a statement. The governor had expressed support for the repeal and expressed frustration over lawmakers failing to repeal the changes prior to Thursday.
“We stand resolute with our veterans, first responders, and their families. Today, with my signature, we took the necessary step to reverse and fully repeal changes to VMSDEP and provided significant new funding for the program. We will continue our work to make Virginia the best place for our military, veterans, first responders and their families to live, work, raise a family, and retire. We will always honor the sacrifice of all our military heroes, Gold Star families, first responders, and all those who have served their nation and their Commonwealth. We know that freedom is not free.”
But families said they won't stop fighting if the program faces cuts again.
Watch: Sen. Lucas announces work group for VMSDEP concerns
"In the future if there’s not money assigned to it, that’s a concern. The other concern is that they’re trying to shotgun through a (Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee) study in two months," Owen said.
As of Thursday, the JLARC study and Senate Select Work Group created to look into the program were expected to present information in September. Gov. Youngkin has also created a task force to look into the program.
