Filed by btucker in Feature, Local News, Politics.
June 30, 2011

Starting Friday, children of Oklahoma’s fallen service members will receive free tuition at Oklahoma public higher education facilities under House Bill 1343. State Representative Eric Proctor says Oklahoma has a moral obligation to help these children.

“We’re never going to be able to replace their mother or father that they lost,”Proctor said. “But it’s a way for the state of Oklahoma to let the kids know that we love them, that we appreciate their family’s service , and most importantly that their parents aren’t forgotten.”

House Bill 1343 covers 48 months of tuition, and the children automatically receive the waiver.

“So when it comes time, when they’re 17 or 18 years old and they’re ready to go to college, they’ll apply just like they’re applying to OHLAP,” Proctor said. “But there’s a special provision for children of fallen soldiers and that’s how they’ll get the waiver. ”

Representative Proctor hopes to extend the waiver to spouses of fallen servicemen during next session.