PRINTER'S NO. 1298
No. 1138 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY MILLER, BOYES, ITKIN, KOSINSKI, HALUSKA, TRELLO,
ARGALL, REBER, MICOZZIE, MORRIS, GEIST, PRESTON, B. SMITH,
RAYMOND, FOX, VROON, SCHULER, PHILLIPS, SERAFINI, NAHILL,
JOHNSON, VEON, WOGAN, CORNELL, CAWLEY, MAINE, E. Z. TAYLOR
AND NOYE, APRIL 11, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 11, 1989
AN ACT
1 Providing for a higher education tuition assistance program for
2 children of firemen and law enforcement officers killed in
3 the performance of their duties.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Definitions.
7 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
8 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
9 context clearly indicates otherwise:
10 "Community colleges." Institutions now or hereafter created
11 pursuant to Article XIX-A of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
12 No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, or pursuant to
13 the act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1132, No.484), known as the
14 Community College Act of 1963.
15 "State-owned universities." The 14 Universities of
16 Pennsylvania of the State System of Higher Education and their
17 branches and campuses.
1 "State-related universities." The Pennsylvania State
2 University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and
3 Lincoln University of the Commonwealth System of Higher
4 Education and their branches or campuses.
5 Section 2. Tuition assistance program.
6 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a tuition
7 assistance program for children of firemen who are members of
8 municipal fire departments and law enforcement officers of the
9 Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof who are killed
10 in the performance of their duties. The program shall consist of
11 credit or payment by a State-owned university, State-related
12 university or community college of a qualified student's share
13 of tuition, with reimbursement from the Commonwealth to the
14 State-owned or State-related university or community college for
15 such credit or payments.
16 (b) Qualifications.--An applicant for tuition assistance
17 under this act shall:
18 (1) be the child of a fireman who was a member of a
19 municipal fire department or of a law enforcement officer of
20 the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof who was
21 killed in the performance of his duties, as certified by the
22 employer of the fireman or law enforcement officer;
23 (2) for attendance at a State-owned or State-related
24 university or one of its branches or campuses, be a resident
25 of the county in which the State-owned or State-related
26 university or the branch or campus is located;
27 (3) for attendance at a community college, be a resident
28 in the area of one of the local sponsors of the community
29 college;
30 (4) make application to the Pennsylvania Higher
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1 Education Assistance Agency for any other available financial
2 assistance; and
3 (5) pursue an academic curriculum.
4 (c) Limitation.--No student shall be eligible for tuition
5 assistance for more than four academic years.
6 Section 3. Reimbursement of tuition assistance.
7 Annually, upon verification of enrollment and the tuition
8 assistance granted by each State-owned or State-related
9 university or community college, the Pennsylvania Higher
10 Education Assistance Agency shall reimburse the university or
11 college the amount of tuition assistance granted by it pursuant
12 to this act.
13 Section 4. Funding.
14 The General Assembly shall annually include in the
15 appropriation to the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
16 Agency in the General Appropriation Act an appropriation from
17 the General Fund in an amount sufficient to make tuition
18 payments pursuant to this act.
19 Section 5. Effective date.
20 This act shall take effect immediately.
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