Section 31-6-15 Reimbursement of Qualifying Schools Providing Benefits to Veterans and Dependents; Audit of Records; Accounting of Resources.

(a) The benefits provided in this chapter shall be paid from an annual appropriation from the Education Trust Fund to reimburse every qualifying school in which benefits are given to veterans and their spouses, widows, or children under this chapter. Reimbursement shall be made timely at the end of each academic quarter or semester for all tuition reimbursements for the certified invoices submitted by the institution or school to the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and shall be supported by names of the students receiving the benefits, together with the amounts claimed for each student. Any amount of in-state tuition, books, or fees not paid by the combination of federal, state, and third party funds may be billed to students receiving the benefits or waived by the institution or school. (b) The Department of Examiners of Public Accounts may audit the records of any two-year or four-year institution of higher education that receives any reimbursement as a result of this chapter to the same extent, degree, and scope as audits performed on other public educational institutions. The institution shall submit to the Legislature and the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs each year, before any subsequent reimbursement may be applied for or considered, a full accounting of any receipts, disbursements, assets, liabilities, and other resources as of the date of the close of the immediately preceding academic year.