Chapter 5910 | War Orphans and Severely Disabled Veterans' Children Scholarships

Section 5910.01 | Definitions.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

As used in this chapter and section 5919.34 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Child" includes natural and adopted children and stepchildren who have not been legally adopted by the veteran parent provided that the relationship between the stepchild and the veteran parent meets the following criteria:

(1) The veteran parent is married to the child's natural or adoptive parent at the time application for a scholarship granted under this chapter is made; or if the veteran parent is deceased, the child's natural or adoptive parent was married to the veteran parent at the time of the veteran parent's death;

(2) The child resided with the veteran parent for a period of not less than ten consecutive years immediately prior to making application for the scholarship; or if the veteran parent is deceased, the child resided with the veteran parent for a period of not less than ten consecutive years immediately prior to the veteran parent's death;

(3) The child received financial support from the veteran parent for a period of not less than ten consecutive years immediately prior to making application for the scholarship; or if the veteran parent is deceased, the child received financial support from the veteran parent for a period of not less than ten consecutive years immediately prior to the veteran parent's death.

(B) "Veteran" includes any of the following:

(1) Any person who was a member of the armed services of the United States for a period of ninety days or more, or who was discharged from the armed services due to a disability incurred while a member with less than ninety days' service, or who died while a member of the armed services; provided that such service, disability, or death occurred during one of the following periods: December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946; June 25, 1950, to January 31, 1955; January 1, 1960, to May 7, 1975; August 2, 1990, to the end of operations conducted as a result of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, including support for operation desert shield and operation desert storm, as declared by the president of the United States or the congress; October 7, 2001, to the end of operation enduring freedom as declared by the president of the United States or the congress; March 20, 2003, to the end of operation Iraqi freedom as declared by the president of the United States or the congress; or any other period of conflict established by the United States department of veterans affairs for pension purposes;

(2) Any person who was a member of the armed services of the United States and participated in an operation for which the armed forces expeditionary medal was awarded;

(3) Any person who served as a member of the United States merchant marine and to whom either of the following applies:

(a) The person has an honorable report of separation from the active duty military service, form DD214 or DD215.

(b) The person served in the United States merchant marine between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, and died on active duty while serving in a war zone during that period of service.

(C) "Armed services of the United States" or "United States armed forces" includes the army, air force, navy, marine corps, coast guard, and such other military service branch as may be designated by congress as a part of the armed forces of the United States.

(D) "Board" means the Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board created by section 5910.02 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Disabled" means having a sixty per cent or greater service-connected disability or receiving benefits for permanent and total nonservice-connected disability, as determined by the United States department of veterans affairs.

(F) "United States merchant marine" includes the United States army transport service and the United States naval transport service.

Last updated August 8, 2023 at 10:30 AM

Section 5910.02 | Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

There is hereby created an Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board as part of the department of veterans services. The board consists of eight members as follows: the chancellor of higher education or the chancellor's designee; the director of veterans services or the director's designee; one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker; one member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate; and four members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative of the American Legion, one of whom shall be a representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, one of whom shall be a representative of the Disabled American Veterans, and one of whom shall be a representative of the AMVETS. At least ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of office of the representative of a veterans organization appointed by the governor, the governor shall notify the state headquarters of the affected organization of the need for an appointment and request the organization to make at least three nominations. Within sixty days after making the request for nominations, the governor may make the appointment from the nominations received, or may reject all the nominations and request at least three new nominations, from which the governor shall make an appointment within thirty days after making the request for the new nominations. If the governor receives no nominations during this thirty-day period, the governor may appoint any veteran.

Terms of office for the four members appointed by the governor shall be for four years, commencing on the first day of January and ending on the thirty-first day of December, except that the term of the AMVETS representative shall expire December 31, 1998, and the new term that succeeds it shall commence on January 1, 1999, and end on December 31, 2002. Each member shall hold office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. The other members shall serve during their terms of office. Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as by original appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of such term. Any appointed member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. The members of the board shall serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses and for other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, not to exceed ten dollars per day for ten days in any one year to be appropriated out of any moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.

The chancellor shall act as secretary to the board and shall furnish such clerical and other assistance as may be necessary to the performance of the duties of the board.

The board shall determine the number of scholarships to be made available, receive applications for scholarships, pass upon the eligibility of applicants, decide which applicants are to receive scholarships, and do all other things necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.

The board may apply for, and may receive and accept, grants, and may receive and accept gifts, bequests, and contributions, from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship donation fund.

Section 5910.03 | Scholarship eligibility.

• Effective: March 29, 2007
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 699 - 126th General Assembly

Scholarships shall be granted only to children of deceased or disabled veterans of the armed services of the United States. To be eligible for a scholarship, such child shall:

(A) At the time of application, have attained the sixteenth, but not the twenty-fifth, birthday;

(B) At the time of application, if a child of a veteran who entered the armed services:

(1) As a legal resident of Ohio, have resided in the state for the last preceding year;

(2) Not as a legal resident of Ohio, have resided in the state for the year preceding the year in which application for the scholarship is made and any other four of the last ten years;

(C) Be in financial need, as determined by the board.

Section 5910.031 | Scholarships for children of Ohio national guard and reserve components of armed services.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

War orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarships provided in sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code, shall be granted to children of members of the Ohio national guard and the reserve components of any of the armed services of the United States who are killed or permanently and totally disabled while on active duty pursuant to bona fide orders of the governor or the president of the United States, or who are killed or permanently and totally disabled while at a scheduled training assembly, a field training period of any duration or length, or active duty for training, pursuant to bona fide orders issued by a competent authority. Such scholarships shall be granted within the total number of scholarships provided under section 5910.05 of the Revised Code and are available only to children who further qualify pursuant to divisions (A), (B), and (C) of section 5910.03 of the Revised Code.

As used in this section, "permanently and totally disabled" means having a disability which renders the person incapable of engaging in substantially gainful employment and which is presumed to be permanent, as determined by a special board of three officers of the Ohio national guard named by the governor, one of whom shall be a medical officer licensed to practice in this state.

Last updated August 4, 2022 at 11:25 AM

Section 5910.032 | Scholarships for children of persons declared prisoner of war or missing in action.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) A war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship, as provided under sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code, shall be granted to the child of any person who, in the course of honorable service in the armed services of the United States, was declared by the United States department of defense to be a prisoner of war or missing in action as a result of the United States' participation in armed conflict on or after January 1, 1960, if either of the following apply:

(1) The parent, at the time of entry into the armed services of the United States, or at the time the parent was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action, was a resident of Ohio;

(2) If the parent did not enter the armed services as a resident of Ohio and was not a resident of Ohio when declared a prisoner of war or missing in action, the child has resided in Ohio for the year immediately preceding the year in which the application for the scholarship is made and any four of the last ten years.

The scholarships shall be in addition to the total number of scholarships provided under section 5910.05 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 5910.03 of the Revised Code, scholarships provided under this section shall be made to any such child who, at the time of application, has attained the sixteenth, but not the twenty-first, birthday. The termination of a child's parent or guardian's status as a prisoner of war or being missing in action does not affect such child's eligibility for the benefit provided by this section.

(B) Scholarships provided under this section shall consist of either of the following:

(1) A scholarship of the type described in division (A) of section 5910.04 of the Revised Code together with reasonable and necessary expenses for room, board, books, and laboratory fees. The additional amount for such expenses shall be paid from moneys appropriated by the general assembly for such purpose.

(2) A scholarship of the type described in division (B) of section 5910.04 of the Revised Code together with an additional grant equal to the average value of the reasonable and necessary expenses granted under division (B)(1) of this section during the preceding year for room, board, books, and laboratory fees. The additional grant shall be paid from moneys appropriated by the general assembly for such purpose, and shall be paid to the child through the institution in which the child is enrolled. In no case shall the additional grant exceed the amount actually expended by the child for room, board, books, and laboratory fees.

Last updated August 4, 2022 at 11:27 AM

Section 5910.04 | Scholarship types.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

Scholarships granted under sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code shall consist of either of the following:

(A) An exemption from the payment of one hundred per cent of the general and instructional fees at colleges and universities which receive support from the state of Ohio and are approved by the chancellor of higher education, except that the percentage may be reduced by the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board in any year that insufficient funds are appropriated to fully fund scholarships for all eligible students;

(B) A grant to an eligible child who is enrolled in an institution that has received a certificate of authorization under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, or a private institution exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code, or an institution that has received a certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools. Students who attend an institution that holds a certificate of registration shall be enrolled in either a program leading to an associate degree or a program leading to a bachelor's degree for which associate or bachelor's degree program the institution has received program authorization issued under section 3332.05 of the Revised Code to offer such degree program. The grant shall be paid to the child through the institution in which the child is enrolled, and shall equal one hundred per cent of the average value of all scholarships granted under division (A) of this section during the preceding year, except that the percentage may be reduced by the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board in any year that insufficient funds are appropriated to fully fund scholarships for all eligible students. In no case shall the grant exceed the total general and instructional charges of the institution.

The board shall not reduce the percentage to be paid for scholarships awarded pursuant to section 5910.032 of the Revised Code below one hundred per cent.

Section 5910.05 | Scholarships granted based upon available funds - minimum requirements.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

The Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board shall determine how many scholarships are to be granted based upon available funds provided by the Ohio general assembly. If funds are available all eligible applicants shall be granted a scholarship. There shall be no limitation on the number of scholarships granted under section 5910.032 of the Revised Code, nor any limitation on the number of scholarships granted to any college or university under such section. No person shall be granted a scholarship for more than five academic years of education, which shall be at the undergraduate level. The board shall provide minimum scholastic requirements for recipients and shall withdraw the aid from any person who fails to maintain such requirements.

Section 5910.06 | Annual report.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

The Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board shall make a complete report of its administration of this chapter, to each first regular session of the general assembly.

Section 5910.07 | Donation fund.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

The Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship donation fund is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of gifts, bequests, grants, and contributions made to the fund under section 5910.02 of the Revised Code. Investment earnings of the fund shall be deposited into the fund. The fund shall be used to operate the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship program and to provide grants under sections 5910.01 to 5910.06 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 4, 2022 at 11:30 AM

Section 5910.08 | Reserve fund.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

There is hereby created in the state treasury the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund. As soon as possible following the end of each fiscal year, the chancellor of higher education shall certify to the director of budget and management the unencumbered balance of the general revenue fund appropriations made in the immediately preceding fiscal year for purposes of the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship program created in Chapter 5910. of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the certification, the director of budget and management may transfer an amount not exceeding the certified amount from the general revenue fund to the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund. Moneys in the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund shall be used to pay scholarship obligations in excess of the general revenue fund appropriations made for that purpose.

The director of budget and management may transfer any unencumbered balance from the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund to the general revenue fund.

If it is determined that general revenue fund appropriations are insufficient to meet the obligations of the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship in a fiscal year, the director of budget and management may transfer funds from the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund to the general revenue fund in order to meet those obligations. The amount transferred is hereby appropriated. If the funds transferred from the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund are not needed, the director of budget and management may transfer the unexpended balance from the general revenue fund back to the war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship reserve fund.

Last updated August 4, 2022 at 11:42 AM