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-SECOND REGULAR SESSION
-HOUSE BILL NO. 3480
-103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
-INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE BOGGS.
-7408H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
-AN ACT
-T o repeal section 173.2655, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to
-college tuition for public safety personnel.
-Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
-Section A. Section 173.2655, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu
-2 thereof, to be known as section 173.2655, to read as follows:
-173.2655. 1. This section and section 173.2660 shall be known and may be cited as
-2 the "Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act".
-3 2. For purposes of this section and section 173.2660, unless the context clearly
-4 indicates otherwise, the following terms mean:
-5 (1) "Advanced emer gency medical technician", as such term is defined in section
-6 190.100;
-7 (2) "Department", the department of higher education and workforce development;
-8 (3) "Emergency medical technician", as such term is defined in section 190.100;
-9 (4) "Firefighter", any of ficer , member , or employee of a fire department [ who is
-10 employed for the purpose of fighting fires ], fir e pr otection district, or other fir efighting
-11 organization of a political subdivision, excluding [ volunteer firefighters and ] anyone
-12 employed in a clerical or other capacity not involving [ fire-fighting ] fire fighting duties;
-13 (5) "Institution of higher education", a public community college, state college, or
-14 state university located in Missouri; or an approved private institution, as such term is defined
-15 in section 173.1 102, that chooses to accept any tuition award money pursuant to subdivision
-16 (2) of subsection 7 of this section; or an emer gency medical services training entity accredited
-EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
-intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
-17 or certified by the Missouri department of health and senior services pursuant to the
-18 provisions of section 190.131;
-19 (6) "Legal dependent", as such term is defined by the United States Department of
-20 Education for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid;
-21 (7) "Line of duty", any action that public safety personnel is authorized or obligated
-22 by law , rule, or regulation to perform, related to or as a condition of employment or service;
-23 (8) "Open seat", a vacant position in a class, course, or program that is available for
-24 enrollment, and which may become available when a student drops out or transfers, or when a
-25 class, course, or program has unused capacity , allowing new students to register or enroll;
-26 (9) "Paramedic", as such term is defined in section 190.100;
-27 (10) "Police of ficer", any person who, by virtue of of fice or public employment, is
-28 vested by law with the power and duty to make arrests for violation of the laws of the state of
-29 Missouri or ordinances of any municipality thereof, while acting within the scope of his or her
-30 authority as an employee of a public law enforcement agency , as such term is defined in
-31 section 590.1040;
-32 (1 1) "Public safety personnel", includes any police of ficer , firefighter , paramedic,
-33 telecommunicator first responder , emer gency medical technician, or advanced emer gency
-34 medical technician who is trained and authorized by law or rule to render emer gency medical
-35 assistance or treatment;
-36 (12) "T elecommunicator first responder", as such term is defined in section 650.320;
-37 (13) "T uition", the char ges and cost of tuition as set by the governing body of an
-38 institution of higher education, including fees such as course fees, activity fees, technology
-39 fees, and mandatory fees char ged by such institution to all full-time students as a condition of
-40 enrollment, but excluding the costs of room, board, books, and any other educational
-41 materials, equipment, or supplies.
-42 3. Subject to appropriation, public safety personnel with at least six years of service
-43 shall be entitled to an award worth up to one hundred percent of the resident tuition char ges of
-44 an institution of higher education if the individual:
-45 (1) Possesses one of the following:
-46 (a) A current, valid license issued by the department of health and senior services
-47 authorizing such person to serve as an emer gency medical technician, advanced emer gency
-48 medical technician, or paramedic;
-49 (b) A current, valid license issued by the peace of ficer standards and training
-50 commission authorizing such person to serve as a peace of ficer pursuant to the provisions of
-51 chapter 590;
-52 (c) A current, valid certificate issued by the division of fire safety authorizing such
-53 person to serve as a firefighter; or
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-54 (d) A current, valid certificate confirming successful completion of any ongoing
-55 training requirements pursuant to section 650.340; and
-56 (e) For all public safety personnel, a certificate of verification signed by the
-57 individual's supervisor or employer verifying that such individual is :
-58 a. Either currently employed full-time as public safety personnel or , for a volunteer
-59 fir efighter , curr ently carried on the rolls of a fir e department for the purpose of fighting
-60 fir es; and
-61 b. T rained and authorized by law or rule to render emer gency medical assistance or
-62 treatment;
-63 (2) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education;
-64 (3) Has not already earned a baccalaureate degree;
-65 (4) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity
-66 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or
-67 baccalaureate degree in one of the following academic subject areas:
-68 (a) For police of ficers, eligible subjects include forensic science, fisheries and
-69 wildlife, political science, psychology , history , philosophy , sociology , anthropology , global
-70 studies, Spanish, journalism, advertising, public relations, nutrition and health sciences,
-71 communication sciences and disorders, and criminal justice;
-72 (b) For firefighters, paramedics, emer gency medical technicians, and advanced
-73 emer gency medical technicians, eligible subjects include biology , chemistry , biochemistry ,
-74 microbiology , nutrition and health sciences, communication sciences and disorders, Spanish,
-75 advertising, public relations, paramedicine, fire science, fire technology , fire administration,
-76 fire management, communications, homeland security , emer gency management, disaster
-77 management, and crisis management; and
-78 (c) For telecommunicator first responders, eligible subjects include any subject
-79 specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision;
-80 (5) Submits verification of the professional license or certificate and the certificate of
-81 verification required by subdivision (1) of this subsection to the department, in a form and
-82 manner as prescribed by the department;
-83 (6) Files with the department documentation showing proof of employment as public
-84 safety personnel or status as a volunteer fir efighter and proof of residence in Missouri each
-85 year such individual or such individual's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition
-86 award;
-87 (7) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before
-88 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department
-89 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for
-90 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.; and
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-91 (8) Submits a document to the department confirming that the public safety personnel
-92 has satisfied the provisions of subdivision (7) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and
-93 manner as prescribed by the department.
-94 4. Public safety personnel may receive the tuition award pursuant to subsection 3 of
-95 this section for up to five years if they otherwise continue to be eligible for the tuition award.
-96 The five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the individual applies for and receives
-97 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such individual for the next five
-98 consecutive years or the individual's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours,
-99 whichever occurs first.
-100 5. Subject to appropriation, a legal dependent of public safety personnel with at least
-101 ten years of service shall be entitled to a tuition award worth up to one hundred percent of the
-102 resident tuition char ges of an institution of higher education for an associate or baccalaureate
-103 degree program if such public safety personnel satisfies the provisions of subdivisions (1),
-104 (5), and (6) of subsection 3 of this section and the legal dependent:
-105 (1) Executes an agreement with the department in accordance with the provisions of
-106 section 173.2660;
-107 (2) Has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree;
-108 (3) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education;
-109 (4) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before
-110 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department
-111 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for
-112 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.;
-113 (5) Submits a document to the department confirming that the legal dependent has
-114 satisfied subdivision (4) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and manner as
-115 prescribed by the department;
-116 (6) Submits the verification required pursuant to subsection 8 of this section to the
-117 department; and
-118 (7) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity
-119 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or
-120 baccalaureate degree in any one of the subject areas specified in paragraphs (a) to (c) of
-121 subdivision (4) of subsection 3 of this section.
-122 6. A legal dependent may receive the tuition award for up to five years if the public
-123 safety personnel and the legal dependent continue to be eligible for such tuition award. The
-124 five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the legal dependent applies for and receives
-125 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such legal dependent for the next five
-126 consecutive years or the legal dependent's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours,
-127 whichever occurs first.
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-128 7. The tuition award shall be worth:
-129 (1) Up to one hundred percent of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's
-130 tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state
-131 scholarships and grants for the eligible public safety personnel or legal dependent during the
-132 time the public safety personnel or legal dependent is enrolled. T o remain eligible, the public
-133 safety personnel or legal dependent shall comply with all requirements of the institution for
-134 continued attendance and award of an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree; or
-135 (2) In the case of tuition at an approved private institution, up to one hundred percent
-136 of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's tuition remaining due after subtracting
-137 awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants for the eligible public
-138 safety personnel or legal dependent during the time the public safety personnel or legal
-139 dependent is enrolled, up to a maximum amount that is equal to the total cost of tuition and
-140 mandatory fees char ged to a Missouri resident at the public community college, state college,
-141 or state university with the highest combined tuition and mandatory fee cost in the state at the
-142 time a tuition grant is awarded, as determined by the department. A private institution that
-143 chooses to accept as a tuition payment any tuition award money pursuant to this subdivision
-144 shall not char ge the recipient of the tuition award any tuition that exceeds the maximum
-145 combined tuition and mandatory fee cost as determined by the department prior to the
-146 application of the tuition award.
-147 8. (1) An application for a tuition award shall include a verification of the public
-148 safety personnel's satisfaction of the requirements of subdivisions (1), (5), and (6) of
-149 subsection 3 of this section. The public safety personnel shall include such verification when
-150 he or she or his or her legal dependent is applying to the department for a tuition waiver .
-151 (2) The death of public safety personnel in the line of duty which occurs after
-152 submission of an application for a tuition award shall not disqualify such individual's
-153 otherwise eligible legal dependent from receiving the tuition award. In such case, in lieu of
-154 submitting the certificate of verification provided for in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the
-155 legal dependent shall submit a statement attesting that:
-156 (a) At the time of death, such public safety personnel satisfied the requirements of
-157 subdivision (1) of this subsection; and
-158 (b) Such public safety personnel died in the line of duty .
-159 9. The department shall provide a tuition award to public safety personnel and legal
-160 dependents who satisfy the provisions of this section and section 173.2660, if applicable, and
-161 apply for an open seat at an institution of higher education, but shall not provide a tuition
-162 award if doing so would require the institution to create additional seats exceeding class,
-163 course, or program capacity .
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-164 10. All applicants for a tuition award shall submit their applications to the department
-165 no later than December fifteenth annually . No later than March first annually , the department
-166 shall send written notice of the applicant's eligibility or ineligibility for the tuition award and
-167 state whether the application has been approved or denied. If the applicant is determined not
-168 to be eligible for the tuition award, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for such
-169 determination. If the application is denied, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for
-170 the denial.
-171 1 1. The department shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section
-172 and section 173.2660. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010,
-173 that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become ef fective only if it
-174 complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section
-175 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with
-176 the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review , to delay the ef fective date, or to
-177 disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of
-178 rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid
-179 and void.
-180 12. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Public Safety Recruitment
-181 and Retention Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly or
-182 any gifts, donations, or bequests for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this
-183 section and section 173.2660. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In
-184 accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements.
-185 The fund shall be a dedicated fund and money in the fund shall be used solely by the
-186 department of higher education and workforce development for the purpose of granting
-187 tuition awards as provided in this section and section 173.2660.
-188 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary , any moneys
-189 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general
-190 revenue fund.
-191 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other
-192 funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to
-193 the fund.
-194 13. In any year in which moneys in the public safety recruitment and retention fund
-195 are insuf ficient to fully fund tuition awards for all eligible applicants, tuition awards shall be
-196 awarded in the following order of priority; provided that, in the event of a tie in eligibility ,
-197 available funds shall be distributed on a pro rata basis:
-198 (1) Priority class one shall include public safety personnel, in the following order:
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-199 (a) Public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially in counties or
-200 cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined by the most
-201 recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and
-202 (b) Public safety personnel with the most years of service; and
-203 (2) Priority class two shall include dependents of public safety personnel, in the
-204 following order:
-205 (a) Dependents of public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially
-206 in counties or cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined
-207 by the most recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of
-208 Investigation; and
-209 (b) Dependents of public safety personnel with the most years of service.
-210 14. The tuition awards provided for in this section and section 173.2660 are subject to
-211 appropriation. If there are no moneys in the fund established in subsection 12 of this section,
-212 no tuition awards shall be granted.
-✔
-HB 3480 7
+HB 3480 -- PUBLIC SAFETY RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT ACT
+SPONSOR:  Boggs
+This bill modifies the definition of "firefighter" for the
+purposes of the Public Safety Retention and Recruitment Act by
+removing the exclusion of "volunteer firefighters" and adds an
+exemption from proof of employment for volunteer firefighters
+that are carried on the rolls of the fire department.