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New Law Gives Maine National Guard Members Tuition Waivers

AUGUSTA, Maine - Gov. Paul LePage has signed into law a bill aimed law aimed at bolstering and updating a Maine agency that supports veterans' services.

The new law provides state community college and university tuition waivers to members of the Maine National Guard who remain in good standing.

Republican Rep. Brad Farrin of Norridgewock says Maine had been the only state in New England that didn't offer tuition assistance to state Guard members.

State lawmakers had created a special commission last year with the goal of improving the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services.

The law also provides about $2 million a year to add staff to the agency as well as funding to transition the bureau's paper-only records system to a computerized system.