The North Dakota National Guard wants to expand programs that pay soldiers' college tuition and provide extra money to those on active duty, without asking for a spending increase.

Under a bill being considered by the state Senate, the tuition waiver program would include any accredited post-secondary institution in the state, not just four-year colleges and universities.

Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, the state's Guard commander, told members of the Government and Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday that the expansion would include 18 schools, ranging from tribal colleges to business and barber schools.

Examples include the Sister Rosalind Gefre School of Massage in Fargo, Josef's School of Hair Design in Grand Forks, Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, R D Hairstyling College in Bismarck and Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten.

Under the program, schools would waive 25 percent of a soldier's tuition, and the Guard would cover the rest using state and federal money.

Sprynczynatyk said between 400 and 475 soldiers and airmen have used the program each semester for the past two years. Lt. Col. Dave Thiele, a Guard lobbyist, said the program has had enough money to pay full tuition for the Guardsmen, which is the goal.

"It's a great retention program for us," Sprynczynatyk said. "It's also a great recruiting program."

The 2005 Legislature approved $2 million for the program. Sprynczynatyk said the Guard is seeking the same amount for the 2007-09 budget period.

The bill also would make North Dakota Guard members who live in other states eligible for veterans' bonuses, a provision that has drawn opposition in the Legislature. Bonuses are now limited to Guard veterans who live in North Dakota.

The program pays soldiers up to $900 when they are mobilized stateside and up to $1,800 when they go to other countries.

The Guard has paid out $2.1 million in bonuses to about 2,100 soldiers over the past two years. The proposed legislation would make about 200 members of the North Dakota Guard eligible for the program who live in other states, Sprynczynatyk said.

"They have served their country well," he said. "We think it's important that we recognize those individuals as well."

The Legislature two years ago approved $5 million for the program. Sprynczynatyk said the $2.9 million left should last for another two years. The program was scheduled to end this summer, but the bill would extend it another two years.

Sprynczynatyk said Montana does not have a veterans bonus program, but South Dakota and Minnesota do. The Guard will make sure there is no "double-dipping" of benefits by North Dakota soldiers who live in those two states, he said.

The North Dakota Veterans Coordinating Council, which represents veterans' organizations, would like the bill to include stateside bonuses for North Dakota members of the regular Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, said spokesman John Jacobsen. Those soldiers are eligible for the bonus program only if they are deployed to a combat zone.

Thiele said giving every active service member from North Dakota $900 would be "a pretty hefty price tag."

The bill is SB2115.