Texas Senate panel OKs benefit cuts for veterans’ children

Texas veterans and their children would see their higher education benefits sliced significantly under a plan heading to the Senate floor.

Tuition exemption costs for Texas veterans and their children under the so-called Hazlewood Exemption have skyrocketed since 2010, reaching $169 million in fiscal year 2014.

A plan by Republican Sen. Brian Birdwell, the Senate’s most senior veteran, to address the financial shortfalls passed out of committee Wednesday.

The bill would require beneficiaries to live in Texas for eight years and would cut free tuition down to 120 hours. It also limits the number of hours a veteran may pass on to a child to 60.

San Antonio Democratic Sen. Jose Menendez said the changes would cause veterans “to feel betrayed by our actions.”