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Pence signs Second Service for Veterans legislation
Legislation creating the Second Service for Veterans program was signed into law Thursday by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Co-sponsored by District 44 State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle), Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 331 establishes the program to help connect veterans with a job in the teaching profession.
"In 2013, I sponsored legislation to help our veterans attain a college degree, and I was proud to continue that effort by working to create the Second Service for Veterans program this session," Rep. Baird said.
"Indiana is committed to lowering the unemployment rate for veterans by providing them with every opportunity to find a job and succeed once their service is over," Baird, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, added. "The Second Service for Veterans program accomplishes this by helping our honorable service men and women obtain a job in the teaching profession."
The Second Service for Veterans program is aligned with the Combat to College program, created by the General Assembly in 2013, and requires state colleges to provide academic and career counseling to honorably discharged veterans that pursue a degree in education. Under this legislation, those colleges would also be required to develop a plan to attract more veterans into the major.
SEA 331 also allows military training and experience, if applicable, to count as college credits toward a degree in education. In addition, this legislation requires state universities to offer in-state tuition to veterans serving out-of-state that apply and are accepted into the program.
"Hoosier veterans, who are taught leadership and communication skills throughout their service, possess many of the qualities necessary to be effective educators," Rep. Baird noted.
Interested persons may visit www.in.gov/ legislative to learn more about SEA 331.
Rep. Baird represents all of Putnam County and portions of Clay, Morgan, Owen and Parke counties in District 44.