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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, KASUNIC, BROWNE, ORIE, ARGALL, RAFFERTY, KITCHEN, TOMLINSON, PIPPY, ALLOWAY, SOLOBAY, WAUGH, BREWSTER, COSTA AND BOSCOLA, JANUARY 12, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 12, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of December 16, 1998 (P.L.980, No.129), |
2 | entitled "An act providing for a waiver of tuition and other |
3 | fees for children of certain deceased police officers, |
4 | National Guard members, firefighters and correction employees |
5 | at community colleges and State-owned and State-related |
6 | institutions of higher education and for additional powers |
7 | and duties of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance |
8 | Agency and the Department of General Services," extending |
9 | benefits to certain surviving spouses; further providing for |
10 | title of act, for short title, for definitions, for |
11 | Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program, for report to |
12 | General Assembly and for retroactivity. |
13 | The General assembly finds and declares that it is the intent |
14 | of this act to recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by police |
15 | officers, firefighters, correction employees, sheriffs and |
16 | deputy sheriffs and National Guard members killed in the |
17 | performance of their duties by providing a postsecondary |
18 | educational gratuity for their children or surviving spouses at |
19 | community colleges and State-owned or State-related institutions |
20 | in this Commonwealth. |
21 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
22 | hereby enacts as follows: |
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1 | Section 1. The title and section 1 of the act of December |
2 | 16, 1998 (P.L.980, No.129), known as the Police Officer, |
3 | Firefighter, Correction Employee and National Guard Member Child |
4 | Beneficiary Education Act, are amended to read: |
5 | AN ACT |
6 | Providing for a waiver of tuition and other fees for children or |
7 | surviving spouses of certain deceased police officers, |
8 | National Guard members, firefighters [and], emergency medical |
9 | services personnel, correction employees, State parole |
10 | agents, county probation and parole officers, sheriffs and |
11 | deputy sheriffs at community colleges and State-owned and |
12 | State-related institutions of higher education and for |
13 | additional powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Higher |
14 | Education Assistance Agency and the Department of General |
15 | Services. |
16 | Section 1. Short title. |
17 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Police |
18 | Officer, Firefighter, Correction Employee [and], National Guard |
19 | Member [Child] and Special Public Servant Beneficiary Education |
20 | Act. |
21 | Section 2. Section 2 of the act is amended by adding |
22 | definitions to read: |
23 | Section 2. Definitions. |
24 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
25 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
26 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
27 | * * * |
28 | "County officer." A county probation or parole officer of |
29 | this Commonwealth. |
30 | * * * |
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1 | "Emergency medical services personnel." The term includes, |
2 | but is not limited to, emergency medical service providers as |
3 | defined in 35 Pa.C.S. § 7203 (relating to definitions). |
4 | * * * |
5 | "State parole agent." A parole officer appointed by the |
6 | Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. |
7 | "Surviving spouse." A resident of this Commonwealth who is |
8 | the spouse of a deceased police officer, firefighter, emergency |
9 | medical services personnel, correction employee, State parole |
10 | agent, county probation and parole officer, sheriff, deputy |
11 | sheriff or National Guard member, at the time of death, killed |
12 | in the performance of his or her duties. |
13 | * * * |
14 | Section 3. Section 3 of the act, amended November 30, 2004 |
15 | (P.L.1663, No.210), is amended to read: |
16 | Section 3. Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program. |
17 | (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the |
18 | Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program for children or |
19 | surviving spouses of police officers, firefighters, emergency |
20 | medical services personnel, correction employees, State parole |
21 | agents, county probation and parole officers, sheriffs, deputy |
22 | sheriffs and National Guard members and certain other |
23 | individuals who are on Federal or State active military duty who |
24 | are residents of this Commonwealth who are killed while acting |
25 | in the performance of their duties. |
26 | (b) Eligibility.-- |
27 | (1) Police officers shall be deemed to have been killed |
28 | in the performance of their duties if death results from job- |
29 | related injuries sustained or inflicted while performing any |
30 | of the following: |
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1 | (i) Answering an emergency call. |
2 | (ii) Conducting interrogations of crime suspects or |
3 | interrogations pursuant to a response to an emergency |
4 | call. |
5 | (iii) Conducting vehicle stops for traffic |
6 | violations. |
7 | (iv) Actively responding to requests for assistance |
8 | from the public. |
9 | (v) Maintaining order and security at the scene of |
10 | an emergency. |
11 | (2) Firefighters shall be deemed to have been killed in |
12 | the performance of their duties if death results from job- |
13 | related injuries sustained or inflicted while performing any |
14 | of the following: |
15 | (i) Being present at the scene of a fire or going to |
16 | and from a fire. In the case of volunteer firefighters, |
17 | going to and from a fire shall include traveling from and |
18 | directly returning to the firefighter's home, place of |
19 | business or other location where the firefighter was when |
20 | the fire call or alarm was received for a fire which the |
21 | firefighter's volunteer fire company attended. |
22 | (ii) Answering an emergency call. |
23 | (iii) Maintaining order and security at the scene of |
24 | an emergency. |
25 | (3) A member of the National Guard shall be deemed to |
26 | have been killed in the performance of his or her duties if |
27 | his or her death results from performance of a duty required |
28 | by his or her orders or commander while in an official duty |
29 | status authorized under Federal or State law. |
30 | (4) Correction employees shall be deemed to have been |
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1 | killed in the performance of their duties if death results |
2 | from job-related injuries sustained or inflicted while |
3 | maintaining order and security or otherwise carrying out |
4 | their duties at a correctional facility. |
5 | (4.1) Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs shall be deemed to |
6 | have been killed in the performance of their duties if death |
7 | results from job-related injuries sustained or inflicted |
8 | while maintaining order and security or otherwise carrying |
9 | out their duties as a sheriff or deputy sheriff. |
10 | (4.2) An individual who is on Federal or State active |
11 | military duty who is a resident of this Commonwealth shall be |
12 | deemed to have been killed in the performance of duty if |
13 | death results from performance of a duty required by his or |
14 | her orders or commander while in an official duty status. |
15 | (4.3) Emergency medical services personnel shall be |
16 | deemed to have been killed in the performance of their duties |
17 | if death results from job-related injuries sustained or |
18 | inflicted while answering an emergency call. |
19 | (4.4) State parole agents and county probation and |
20 | parole officers shall be deemed to have been killed in the |
21 | performance of their duties if death results from job-related |
22 | injuries sustained or inflicted while carrying out their |
23 | duties. |
24 | (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, |
25 | deaths which occur as the direct and proximate result of |
26 | preexisting physical conditions, diseases or illnesses shall |
27 | be excluded from eligibility under this section. |
28 | (6) Any child or surviving spouse of a police officer, |
29 | firefighter, emergency medical services personnel, correction |
30 | employee, State parole agent, county probation and parole |
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1 | officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff or National Guard member |
2 | killed in the performance of his or her duties shall be |
3 | eligible for an educational gratuity provided: |
4 | (i) In the case of a child, that the child is 25 |
5 | years of age or younger at the time of application for |
6 | participation in this program, meets all admission |
7 | requirements of the community college or State-owned or |
8 | State-related institution to which application is made |
9 | and is enrolled as a full-time student at a community |
10 | college or a State-owned or State-related institution. |
11 | (ii) In the case of a surviving spouse, that the |
12 | surviving spouse meets all admission requirements of the |
13 | community college or State-owned or State-related |
14 | institution to which application is made and is enrolled |
15 | as a full-time student at a community college or a State- |
16 | owned or State-related institution. |
17 | (7) A child who is 25 years of age or younger at the |
18 | time of the child's application for participation in this |
19 | program or a surviving spouse and who meets all other |
20 | eligibility requirements may receive an educational gratuity |
21 | for up to five years provided the child otherwise continues |
22 | to be eligible for participation. |
23 | (c) Scope of benefit.-- |
24 | (1) The benefit available under this section shall be |
25 | provided only for full-time students who are pursuing |
26 | undergraduate studies leading to an associate degree or a |
27 | baccalaureate degree. |
28 | (2) A child or surviving spouse becomes eligible for |
29 | this benefit after he or she has applied for available |
30 | scholarships and Federal and State grants to cover tuition |
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1 | and room and board costs. The child or surviving spouse must |
2 | provide a record of application for such financial aid to the |
3 | community college or State-owned or State-related institution |
4 | to which he or she is applying. |
5 | (3) A community college or a State-owned or State- |
6 | related institution shall waive all remaining tuition and |
7 | room and board charges (total tuition, room and board and |
8 | fees minus awarded scholarships and Federal and State grants) |
9 | for an eligible child or surviving spouse during the time the |
10 | child or surviving spouse is enrolled as a full-time student |
11 | provided the child or surviving spouse meets all requirements |
12 | for admission to the community college or State-owned or |
13 | State-related institution and during the child's or surviving |
14 | spouse's enrollment complies with all requirements of the |
15 | institution for continued attendance and award of an |
16 | associate degree or a baccalaureate degree. |
17 | (d) Administration.-- |
18 | (1) Copies of all police officer [and], firefighter and |
19 | emergency medical services personnel death certifications |
20 | received by the Department of General Services under the act |
21 | of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the |
22 | Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, |
23 | shall be provided by the Department of General Services to |
24 | PHEAA within 20 days of their receipt. |
25 | (2) Written notification of the death of any correction |
26 | employee killed in the performance of his or her duties shall |
27 | be submitted to PHEAA by the Secretary of Corrections within |
28 | 20 days of the death of the employee. |
29 | (2.1) Written notification of the death of any county |
30 | probation and parole officer, sheriff or deputy sheriff |
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1 | killed in the performance of his or her duties shall be |
2 | submitted to PHEAA by the county commissioners of the county |
3 | in which the county probation and parole officer, sheriff was |
4 | elected or deputy sheriff was employed within 20 days of the |
5 | death of the employee. |
6 | (2.2) Written notification of the death of any State |
7 | parole agent killed in the performance of his or her duties |
8 | shall be submitted to PHEAA by the chairman of the |
9 | Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole within 20 days of |
10 | the death of the employee. |
11 | (3) Written notification of the death of any member of |
12 | the National Guard or other individual who is on Federal or |
13 | State active military duty who is a resident of this |
14 | Commonwealth killed in the performance of his or her duties |
15 | shall be submitted to PHEAA by the Adjutant General of the |
16 | Department of Military and Veterans Affairs within 20 days of |
17 | the death of the National Guard member. |
18 | (4) Applications for an educational gratuity shall be |
19 | submitted to PHEAA by the child or the surviving parent or |
20 | guardian of the child or the surviving spouse, together with |
21 | a certified copy of the child's birth certificate or adoption |
22 | record or other documentation of birth or adoption acceptable |
23 | to PHEAA or a marriage certificate. The application shall |
24 | include a copy of the child's or surviving spouse's letter of |
25 | acceptance at a community college or a State-owned or State- |
26 | related institution. If no death certification has been |
27 | received from the Department of General Services, Secretary |
28 | of Corrections, county commissioners, chairman of the |
29 | Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole or Adjutant |
30 | General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, |
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1 | PHEAA may elect to accept other documentation certifying that |
2 | the child's parent or the surviving spouse was a police |
3 | officer, firefighter, emergency medical services personnel, |
4 | correction employee, State parole agent, county probation and |
5 | parole officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff or National Guard |
6 | member killed during the performance of his or her duties. |
7 | (5) Within 30 days of receipt of a completed |
8 | application, PHEAA shall send written notice to the child or |
9 | surviving spouse and the community college or State-owned or |
10 | State-related institution of the child's or surviving |
11 | spouse's eligibility or noneligibility for participation in |
12 | this program. If the child or surviving spouse is determined |
13 | not to be eligible for an educational gratuity, the notice |
14 | shall include the reason or reasons for such determination |
15 | and an indication that an appeal of PHEAA's determination may |
16 | be made pursuant to 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to administrative law |
17 | and procedure). |
18 | (6) Upon receipt of notification of the child's or |
19 | surviving spouse's eligibility from PHEAA, a community |
20 | college or a State-owned or State-related institution is |
21 | prohibited from charging the child or the child's parent or |
22 | guardian or surviving spouse any tuition fee or room and |
23 | board charge. If moneys have been received by the community |
24 | college or the State-owned or State-related institution for |
25 | these purposes, those moneys must be refunded in full within |
26 | 30 days of receipt by the community college or the State- |
27 | owned or State-related institution of the notice of the |
28 | child's or surviving spouse's eligibility. |
29 | (7) Each community college or State-owned or State- |
30 | related institution at which an eligible child or surviving |
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1 | spouse is enrolled shall notify PHEAA upon the child's or |
2 | surviving spouse's graduation or when the child or surviving |
3 | spouse is no longer enrolled at the community college or |
4 | State-owned or State-related institution. |
5 | Section 4. Sections 4 and 8 of the act are amended to read: |
6 | Section 4. Report to General Assembly. |
7 | Each year as part of its budget presentation to the General |
8 | Assembly, PHEAA shall provide a report on: |
9 | (1) The number of applications submitted during the |
10 | prior year, including numbers of applications approved and |
11 | disapproved. |
12 | (2) The number of children or surviving spouses |
13 | currently participating in this program at community colleges |
14 | or State-owned or State-related institutions. |
15 | (3) The number of program participants who have |
16 | completed requirements for an associate degree or a |
17 | baccalaureate degree during the prior year. |
18 | (4) The total number of program participants who have |
19 | received an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree since |
20 | the program's inception. |
21 | (5) The number of program participants who were approved |
22 | for an educational gratuity but who never obtained an |
23 | associate degree or a baccalaureate degree. |
24 | Section 8. Retroactivity. |
25 | This act shall be retroactive to: |
26 | (1) January 1, 1976, and the benefit provided shall be |
27 | available to qualified children of police officers, |
28 | firefighters, correction employees and National Guard members |
29 | of this Commonwealth killed in the performance of their |
30 | duties since that date. No community college, State-owned or |
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1 | State-related institution shall reimburse qualified children |
2 | for tuition and fees or room and board charges paid between |
3 | January 1, 1976, and the effective date of this act. |
4 | (2) January 1, 2011, and the benefit provided shall be |
5 | available to qualified surviving spouses of police officers, |
6 | firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, |
7 | correction employees, State parole agents, county probation |
8 | and parole officers, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs and |
9 | National Guard members of this Commonwealth killed in the |
10 | performance of their duties since that date. No community |
11 | college, State-owned or State-related institution shall |
12 | reimburse qualified surviving spouses for tuition and fees or |
13 | room and board charges paid between January 1, 2011, and the |
14 | effective date of this paragraph. |
15 | Section 5. This act shall take effect immediately. |
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