# Alabama HB233: National Guard Educational Assistance Program, applied to workforce development programs, amount of benefits revised Alabama HB233, National Guard Educational Assistance Program, applied to workforce development programs, amount of benefits revised, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Ed Oliver (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-04-16 (Enacted); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB233-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama HB233 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: National Guard Educational Assistance Program, applied to workforce development programs, amount of benefits revised - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-16, Enacted - Sponsor: Ed Oliver (Republican) - Cosponsors: 4 - Subjects: Military - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (342 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More workforce training help for Guard members: benefit, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, eligible Alabama National Guard members can get education assistance for approved workforce training. This includes accredited or nonaccredited certifications and stand-alone training leading to an industry-recognized credential. The Adjutant General and the Alabama Commi… - Current Guard students keep existing award amounts: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Guard members receiving academic excellence assistance before August 1, 2026, keep the same assistance amount. This protection lasts until they finish the course or workforce development program for which the assistance was provided. - No out-of-state tuition for eligible Guard members: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama public colleges cannot charge eligible active Alabama National Guard members out-of-state tuition. They also cannot charge extra out-of-state resident fees. Members must be in good standing and meet the education assistance program's eligibility requirements. - Repayment relief for medically disqualified Guard members: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, members disqualified from Alabama National Guard service solely for medical reasons can avoid repaying education assistance. They must have a Veterans Administration disability rating of at least 40%. Members meeting both requirements are exempt from repaying assistance t… - Degree limits on Guard education aid: cost, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, undergraduate assistance ends at 120 academic hours or the first bachelor's degree, whichever comes first. No more than 72 hours can be earned at a community college. Covered undergraduate programs must qualify for Pell aid and provide credits toward an undergraduate degr… - Eligibility and repayment rules for Guard students: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law replaces the prior tuition-reimbursement rules with a broader education-assistance framework. Applicants must be active members of a federally recognized Alabama National Guard unit, finish basic training, and be at least 17. They must meet military membership and… - Broader Guard education help with payment limits: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Guard assistance can cover tuition, fees, textbooks, training costs, and required campus housing and meal plans. Other education benefits apply first, as law allows; total payments cannot exceed median per-term tuition at Alabama public four-year colleges. Payments requir… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ed Oliver (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chad Robertson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jerry Starnes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kenneth Paschal (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rick Rehm (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-09 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1324 | pass | 29 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 822 | pass | 104 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | House | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 104 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 823 | pass | 105 | 0 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-04-16: Enacted (House) - 2026-04-09: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1324 (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-04-09: Enrolled (House) - 2026-04-09: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Delivered to Governor (House) - 2026-03-19: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Reported Out of Committee Second House (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Third Reading in House of Origin (House) - 2026-03-10: Ways and Means Education 1st Substitute Offered (House) - 2026-03-10: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 822 (House) - 2026-03-10: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 823 (House) - 2026-03-10: Engrossed (House) - 2026-03-10: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation Education (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Pending Committee Action in Second House (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Ways and Means Education 1st Substitute (House) - 2026-03-03: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (House) - 2026-03-03: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-01-14: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means Education (House) - 2026-01-14: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for misuse of personal voter information; created (enacted) - SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 (enacted) - SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption (enacted) - HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for violations provided for (enacted) - SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitation purposes prohibited; redaction of certain information relating to financial tr… (enacted) - SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB233-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB67-2026rs) - [SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB154-2026rs) - [SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require in…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB165-2026rs) - [HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for vio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB317-2026rs) - [SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitatio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB272-2026rs) - [SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB190-2026rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB233-2026rs (as of 2026-10-16).