The state board of regents, the board of trustees of every community college, the board of regents of Washburn university of Topeka, the governing board of every technical college and the governing body of every other institution of post-high school education which is supported by any state moneys shall provide for enrollment without charge of tuition or fees for any dependent of a person who died as the result of a service-connected disability suffered during the Vietnam conflict as a result of such conflict, so long as such dependent is eligible, but not to exceed 12 semesters of instruction or the equivalent thereof at all such institutions for any person. Once a person qualifies as a dependent under the terms and provisions of this act, no occurrence, such as the return of the dependent’s father or mother, shall disqualify the dependent from the provisions or benefits of this act. The governing body of every institution of post-high school education which is supported by any state moneys and which grants tuition or fees without charge to a dependent under this act may file a claim with the director of the Kansas commission on veterans affairs office for reimbursement of the amount of such tuition or fees. The director of the Kansas commission on veterans affairs office shall administer this act and the qualification of persons as dependents shall be determined by such director. Such director may adopt rules and regulations making more specific the definition herein contained and for the administration of this act.

“Dependent” as used in this act shall mean any child born to, legally adopted by, or in the legal custody of a person who was a resident of the state of Kansas at the time such person entered service of the United States armed forces and who, while serving in the U.S. armed forces in the geographical area of the Vietnam conflict, has been declared to be a person who died as the result of a service-connected disability suffered during the Vietnam conflict as a result of such conflict.