HAZLEWOOD
Okay, let's dive into a detailed explanation of Hazlewood Acts, breaking down the key concepts, eligibility, benefits, examples, and practical applications.
The Hazlewood Act is a state of Texas benefit that provides qualified veterans, their spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption at Texas public colleges and universities. It's designed to help these individuals pursue higher education at a reduced cost. It is not a federal benefit like the GI Bill. It is a benefit only available to Texas veterans (or their eligible dependents).
The Hazlewood Act has specific eligibility requirements that applicants must meet to qualify for the benefit. These criteria vary slightly depending on whether the applicant is the veteran, their spouse, or their child.
To be eligible as a veteran, you must meet the following criteria:
Veterans can potentially transfer their unused Hazlewood hours to their spouse or dependent children. The criteria for dependents are more specific:
Spouse: Must be the spouse of a living veteran who is eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits.
Child: Must be the biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of a veteran who is eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits.
Age Limits: Dependent children must generally be 25 years of age or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which they are seeking the exemption. There are exceptions for children who are declared legally incompetent by a court, or who have a court appointed guardian.
Legacy Act allows a qualified veteran who is a Texas resident to assign unused hours to child(ren) of that veteran as long as certain criteria are met. This Act is ONLY for dependents who are also Texas residents. Legacy Hours are assigned by the Hazlewood qualified veteran.
To be eligible to receive Legacy Act benefits, the child must:
Be a resident of Texas;
Be the biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of the veteran;
For the fall or spring semester, be 25 years old or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which the exemption is claimed (unless the child is determined to be legally incompetent by a court of law or has a court appointed guardian);
Meet the institution’s general requirements concerning residency, admission, and academic standards;
Enroll in classes for which the institution receives formula funding (i.e., state tax dollars);
Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by the State of Texas; and
Enroll in a degree or certificate program.
The primary benefit of the Hazlewood Act is the tuition exemption at Texas public colleges and universities. This exemption covers:
Let's illustrate with some scenarios:
John meets the Texas residency requirement.
He served more than 181 days of active duty.
He received an honorable discharge.
He has exhausted his federal veteran's education benefits.
He meets all the Hazlewood Act eligibility criteria.
The veteran meets the Hazlewood eligibility criteria.
Mary is the veteran's biological daughter.
Mary is under 25 years old.
Mary is a Texas resident.
David could use his GI Bill benefits at the community college.
However, he could reserve his GI Bill benefits for later use at the university.
He would then use Hazlewood for his first two years at community college (if he chooses).
This allows him to stretch his education benefits further.
Sarah no longer meets the Texas residency requirement.
What is the Hazlewood Act?
The Hazlewood Act is a state of Texas benefit that provides qualified veterans, their spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption at Texas public colleges and universities. It's designed to help these individuals pursue higher education at a reduced cost. It is not a federal benefit like the GI Bill. It is a benefit only available to Texas veterans (or their eligible dependents).
Key Components and Eligibility Criteria:
The Hazlewood Act has specific eligibility requirements that applicants must meet to qualify for the benefit. These criteria vary slightly depending on whether the applicant is the veteran, their spouse, or their child.
1. Veteran Eligibility:
To be eligible as a veteran, you must meet the following criteria:
Texas Residency: Be a Texas resident at the time of entry into active duty and at the time of separation.
Served Honorably: Have served at least 181 days of active duty service (excluding active duty for training). This includes service in the Texas National Guard.
Character of Service: Have received an honorable discharge or separation or been released from active duty to reserve status.
No Federal Veteran's Education Benefits: Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by the state of Texas.
No Prior Use: You must have no federal Veterans education benefits or have exhausted your federal Veterans education benefits. (You can potentially transfer Hazlewood if you still have federal benefits but choose to reserve them.)
Texas Residency During Use: Be a Texas resident while receiving the benefit.
Register With Hazlewood Database: Register with the Hazlewood Database at the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC).
2. Dependent Eligibility (Spouse or Child):
Veterans can potentially transfer their unused Hazlewood hours to their spouse or dependent children. The criteria for dependents are more specific:
Veteran Eligibility: The veteran must meet the eligibility requirements outlined above.
Residency: The spouse/child must be a Texas resident.
Dependency Requirements:
Spouse: Must be the spouse of a living veteran who is eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits.
Child: Must be the biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of a veteran who is eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits.
Age Limits: Dependent children must generally be 25 years of age or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which they are seeking the exemption. There are exceptions for children who are declared legally incompetent by a court, or who have a court appointed guardian.
Transfer of Hours: The veteran must have unused Hazlewood Act hours that they are willing to transfer to their spouse or child. The veteran must formally assign the hours to the dependent using the appropriate forms.
Satisfactory Academic Progress: Dependents must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution they are attending.
Register With Hazlewood Database: Register with the Hazlewood Database at the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC).
3. Legacy Act
Legacy Act allows a qualified veteran who is a Texas resident to assign unused hours to child(ren) of that veteran as long as certain criteria are met. This Act is ONLY for dependents who are also Texas residents. Legacy Hours are assigned by the Hazlewood qualified veteran.
To be eligible to receive Legacy Act benefits, the child must:
Be a resident of Texas;
Be the biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of the veteran;
For the fall or spring semester, be 25 years old or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which the exemption is claimed (unless the child is determined to be legally incompetent by a court of law or has a court appointed guardian);
Meet the institution’s general requirements concerning residency, admission, and academic standards;
Enroll in classes for which the institution receives formula funding (i.e., state tax dollars);
Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by the State of Texas; and
Enroll in a degree or certificate program.
Benefits of the Hazlewood Act:
The primary benefit of the Hazlewood Act is the tuition exemption at Texas public colleges and universities. This exemption covers:
Tuition: The cost of tuition for up to 150 credit hours. This is the core benefit.
Some Fees (Limited): In some cases, certain fees may be covered, but generally only those fees that are mandatory for all students. Other fees, such as parking fees, lab fees, or course-specific fees, are not covered.
Important Considerations and Limitations:
150 Credit Hour Limit: The total benefit is capped at 150 credit hours. Once you've used those hours, the benefit is exhausted.
Public Institutions Only: Hazlewood only applies to Texas public colleges and universities. It does not cover tuition at private institutions or out-of-state schools.
Formula-Funded Courses: The courses must be those for which the institution receives formula funding from the state. This generally means that the courses are part of a degree or certificate program. Continuing education or non-credit courses are generally not covered.
Residency Requirements: Maintaining Texas residency is crucial. Leaving Texas can jeopardize your eligibility.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Students must maintain SAP at their institution to continue receiving Hazlewood benefits. Failing grades or dropping courses can impact eligibility.
Annual Application: You typically need to apply for Hazlewood benefits each academic year (or semester, depending on the institution's policies).
Exhaustion of Federal Benefits: You cannot receive Hazlewood benefits if you are still eligible to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill or other federal veteran's education programs. However, you can elect to reserve your federal benefits for future use.
Step-by-Step Reasoning and Examples:
Let's illustrate with some scenarios:
Example 1: Veteran Scenario
Situation: John served 5 years in the U.S. Army, received an honorable discharge, and has exhausted his Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. He was a Texas resident when he entered and left the military. He wants to pursue a bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Austin.
Reasoning:
John meets the Texas residency requirement.
He served more than 181 days of active duty.
He received an honorable discharge.
He has exhausted his federal veteran's education benefits.
He meets all the Hazlewood Act eligibility criteria.
Outcome: John is eligible for Hazlewood benefits at UT Austin. He can use up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption to pursue his degree.
Example 2: Dependent (Child) Scenario
Situation: Mary is the daughter of a veteran who served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force and is now a Texas resident. The veteran has 80 unused Hazlewood credit hours. Mary is 20 years old and wants to attend Texas A&M University.
Reasoning:
The veteran meets the Hazlewood eligibility criteria.
Mary is the veteran's biological daughter.
Mary is under 25 years old.
Mary is a Texas resident.
Outcome: The veteran can transfer up to 80 Hazlewood credit hours to Mary. Mary can use these hours to cover her tuition at Texas A&M, provided she meets the university's admission and academic standards. Once the veteran has transferred all their hours, no other dependents can use Hazlewood.
Example 3: Veteran with Federal Benefits (Reserving Hazlewood)
Situation: David is a veteran with 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits remaining. He also meets the Hazlewood Act eligibility requirements. He wants to attend a community college in Texas for the first two years and then transfer to a university.
Reasoning:
David could use his GI Bill benefits at the community college.
However, he could reserve his GI Bill benefits for later use at the university.
He would then use Hazlewood for his first two years at community college (if he chooses).
This allows him to stretch his education benefits further.
Outcome: David can elect to use Hazlewood at the community college while preserving his GI Bill benefits for his university studies. He should carefully consider the financial implications and long-term goals before making this decision.
Example 4: Loss of Hazlewood Due to Residency
Situation: Sarah is a veteran using Hazlewood at the University of North Texas. She moves to Oklahoma to accept a job opportunity.
Reasoning:
Sarah no longer meets the Texas residency requirement.
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