AUGUSTA – State Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, D-Brunswick, worked with the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee Tuesday to receive a supportive vote for his bill to allow all veterans to pay in-state tuition to attend Maine colleges and universities.

L.D. 1090, An Act to Allow Veterans and Active Duty Military Members to Qualify for In-state Tuition, would qualify a student who is an active member or veteran of the Armed Forces, regardless of the state of residence, for in-state tuition rates for first-time enrollment at any campus of the University of Maine System, Maine Community College System or Maine Maritime Academy.

“Maine can provide a benefit to service members and veterans that will also be an incentive to some of our most ambitious and public service oriented citizens to come to Maine,” said Cornell du Houx, a Marine and Iraq War veteran.

The committee voted 6-4 to recommend passage of the bill to the full Legislature. There was concern expressed by some members that passage of the bill would cause the Maine university system to receive less compensation from the federal government under the new GI bill expected to take effect later this year.

Cornell du Houx explained to the committee that he has been actively involved in Washington D.C. in working to pass the GI legislation and believes his legislation will work in tandem with that program to provide benefits to veterans and service members while bringing more funds to Maine’s colleges and universities through increased enrollment.

On Wednesday, Cornell du Houx’s resolve to study the prevalence of homelessness among veterans in Maine received unanimous support in the House of Representatives. The bill faces more votes in both the House and Senate before going to Gov. John Baldacci.

This resolve would establish a study commission to review and examine, in consultation with a representative of the Veterans Administration, the issue of homeless veterans. As mentioned by President Obama in his press conference on March 24, veterans are over-represented among the homeless population. Veterans are reported to constitute at least one-third of the nation’s homeless. This commission would examine causes, possible solutions and what further assistance can be given to homeless veterans in the state.

“Maine has more veterans per capita than any other state. We have an obligation to provide opportunities for homeless veterans after so many have sacrificed and honorably served our nation,” said Cornell du Houx.