HOUSE BILL NO. 2911 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE KELLEY.
4296H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To repeal section 173.2655, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to public safety personnel recruitment and retention.
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Section A. Section 173.2655, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu 2 thereof, to be known as section 173.2655, to read as follows: 173.2655. 1.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 emergency 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 officer or employee of a fire department who is employed for 10 the purpose of fighting fires, excluding volunteer firefighters and anyone employed in a 11 clerical or other capacity not involving fire-fighting duties; 12 (5) "Institution of higher education", a public community college, state college, or 13 state university located in Missouri; or an approved private institution, as such term is defined 14 in section 173.1102, that chooses to accept any tuition award money pursuant to subdivision 15 (2) of subsection 7 of this section; or an emergency medical services training entity accredited 16 or certified by the Missouri department of health and senior services pursuant to the 17 provisions of section 190.131;
EXPLANATION — 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. HB 2911 2
18 (6) "Jail or detention center personnel", as such term is defined in section 19 210.110; 20 (7) "Juvenile officer", as such term is described in section 211.351; 21 [(6)] (8) "Legal dependent", as such term is defined by the United States Department 22 of Education for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid; 23 [(7)] (9) "Line of duty", any action that public safety personnel is authorized or 24 obligated by law, rule, or regulation to perform, related to or as a condition of employment or 25 service; 26 [(8)] (10) "Open seat", a vacant position in a class, course, or program that is 27 available for enrollment, and which may become available when a student drops out or 28 transfers, or when a class, course, or program has unused capacity, allowing new students to 29 register or enroll; 30 [(9)] (11) "Paramedic", as such term is defined in section 190.100; 31 [(10)] (12) "Police officer", any person who, by virtue of office or public 32 employment, is vested by law with the power and duty to make arrests for violation of the 33 laws of the state of Missouri or ordinances of any municipality thereof, while acting within 34 the scope of his or her authority as an employee of a public law enforcement agency, as such 35 term is defined in section 590.1040; 36 (13) "Probation officer", as such term is defined in section 589.415; 37 [(11)] (14) "Public safety personnel", includes any police officer, jail or detention 38 center personnel, juvenile officer, probation officer, firefighter, paramedic, 39 telecommunicator first responder, emergency medical technician, or advanced emergency 40 medical technician who is trained and authorized by law or rule to render emergency medical 41 assistance or treatment; 42 [(12)] (15) "Telecommunicator first responder", as such term is defined in section 43 650.320; 44 [(13)] (16) "Tuition", the charges and cost of tuition as set by the governing body of 45 an institution of higher education, including fees such as course fees, activity fees, technology 46 fees, and mandatory fees charged by such institution to all full-time students as a condition of 47 enrollment, but excluding the costs of room, board, books, and any other educational 48 materials, equipment, or supplies. 49 3. Subject to appropriation, public safety personnel with at least six years of service 50 shall be entitled to an award worth up to one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of 51 an institution of higher education if the individual: 52 (1) Possesses one of the following: HB 2911 3
53 (a) A current, valid license issued by the department of health and senior services 54 authorizing such person to serve as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency 55 medical technician, or paramedic; 56 (b) A current, valid license issued by the peace officer standards and training 57 commission authorizing such person to serve as a peace officer pursuant to the provisions of 58 chapter 590; 59 (c) A current, valid certificate issued by the division of fire safety authorizing such 60 person to serve as a firefighter; or 61 (d) A current, valid certificate confirming successful completion of any ongoing 62 training requirements pursuant to section 650.340; and 63 (e) For all public safety personnel, a certificate of verification signed by the 64 individual's supervisor or employer verifying that such individual is currently employed full- 65 time as public safety personnel and trained and authorized by law or rule to render emergency 66 medical assistance or treatment; 67 (2) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education; 68 (3) Has not already earned a baccalaureate degree; 69 (4) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity 70 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or 71 baccalaureate degree in one of the following academic subject areas: 72 (a) For police officers, jail or detention center personnel, juvenile officers, and 73 probation officers, eligible subjects include forensic science, fisheries and wildlife, political 74 science, psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, global studies, Spanish, 75 journalism, advertising, public relations, nutrition and health sciences, communication 76 sciences and disorders, and criminal justice; 77 (b) For firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and advanced 78 emergency medical technicians, eligible subjects include biology, chemistry, biochemistry, 79 microbiology, nutrition and health sciences, communication sciences and disorders, Spanish, 80 advertising, public relations, paramedicine, fire science, fire technology, fire administration, 81 fire management, communications, homeland security, emergency management, disaster 82 management, and crisis management; and 83 (c) For telecommunicator first responders, eligible subjects include any subject 84 specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision; 85 (5) Submits verification of the professional license or certificate and the certificate of 86 verification required by subdivision (1) of this subsection to the department, in a form and 87 manner as prescribed by the department; HB 2911 4
88 (6) Files with the department documentation showing proof of employment as public 89 safety personnel and proof of residence in Missouri each year such individual or such 90 individual's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition award; 91 (7) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before 92 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department 93 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for 94 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.; and 95 (8) Submits a document to the department confirming that the public safety personnel 96 has satisfied the provisions of subdivision (7) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and 97 manner as prescribed by the department. 98 4. Public safety personnel may receive the tuition award pursuant to subsection 3 of 99 this section for up to five years if they otherwise continue to be eligible for the tuition award. 100 The five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the individual applies for and receives 101 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such individual for the next five 102 consecutive years or the individual's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours, 103 whichever occurs first. 104 5. Subject to appropriation, a legal dependent of public safety personnel with at least 105 ten years of service shall be entitled to a tuition award worth up to one hundred percent of the 106 resident tuition charges of an institution of higher education for an associate or baccalaureate 107 degree program if such public safety personnel satisfies the provisions of subdivisions (1), 108 (5), and (6) of subsection 3 of this section and the legal dependent: 109 (1) Executes an agreement with the department in accordance with the provisions of 110 section 173.2660; 111 (2) Has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree; 112 (3) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education; 113 (4) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before 114 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department 115 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for 116 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.; 117 (5) Submits a document to the department confirming that the legal dependent has 118 satisfied subdivision (4) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and manner as 119 prescribed by the department; 120 (6) Submits the verification required pursuant to subsection 8 of this section to the 121 department; and 122 (7) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity 123 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or HB 2911 5
124 baccalaureate degree in any one of the subject areas specified in paragraphs (a) to (c) of 125 subdivision (4) of subsection 3 of this section. 126 6. A legal dependent may receive the tuition award for up to five years if the public 127 safety personnel and the legal dependent continue to be eligible for such tuition award. The 128 five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the legal dependent applies for and receives 129 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such legal dependent for the next five 130 consecutive years or the legal dependent's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours, 131 whichever occurs first. 132 7. The tuition award shall be worth: 133 (1) Up to one hundred percent of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's 134 tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state 135 scholarships and grants for the eligible public safety personnel or legal dependent during the 136 time the public safety personnel or legal dependent is enrolled. To remain eligible, the public 137 safety personnel or legal dependent shall comply with all requirements of the institution for 138 continued attendance and award of an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree; or 139 (2) In the case of tuition at an approved private institution, up to one hundred percent 140 of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's tuition remaining due after subtracting 141 awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants for the eligible public 142 safety personnel or legal dependent during the time the public safety personnel or legal 143 dependent is enrolled, up to a maximum amount that is equal to the total cost of tuition and 144 mandatory fees charged to a Missouri resident at the public community college, state college, 145 or state university with the highest combined tuition and mandatory fee cost in the state at the 146 time a tuition grant is awarded, as determined by the department. A private institution that 147 chooses to accept as a tuition payment any tuition award money pursuant to this subdivision 148 shall not charge the recipient of the tuition award any tuition that exceeds the maximum 149 combined tuition and mandatory fee cost as determined by the department prior to the 150 application of the tuition award. 151 8. (1) An application for a tuition award shall include a verification of the public 152 safety personnel's satisfaction of the requirements of subdivisions (1), (5), and (6) of 153 subsection 3 of this section. The public safety personnel shall include such verification when 154 he or she or his or her legal dependent is applying to the department for a tuition waiver. 155 (2) The death of public safety personnel in the line of duty which occurs after 156 submission of an application for a tuition award shall not disqualify such individual's 157 otherwise eligible legal dependent from receiving the tuition award. In such case, in lieu of 158 submitting the certificate of verification provided for in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the 159 legal dependent shall submit a statement attesting that: HB 2911 6
160 (a) At the time of death, such public safety personnel satisfied the requirements of 161 subdivision (1) of this subsection; and 162 (b) Such public safety personnel died in the line of duty. 163 9. The department shall provide a tuition award to public safety personnel and legal 164 dependents who satisfy the provisions of this section and section 173.2660, if applicable, and 165 apply for an open seat at an institution of higher education, but shall not provide a tuition 166 award if doing so would require the institution to create additional seats exceeding class, 167 course, or program capacity. 168 10. All applicants for a tuition award shall submit their applications to the department 169 no later than December fifteenth annually. No later than March first annually, the department 170 shall send written notice of the applicant's eligibility or ineligibility for the tuition award and 171 state whether the application has been approved or denied. If the applicant is determined not 172 to be eligible for the tuition award, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for such 173 determination. If the application is denied, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for 174 the denial. 175 11. The department shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section 176 and section 173.2660. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, 177 that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it 178 complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 179 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with 180 the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to 181 disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of 182 rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid 183 and void. 184 12. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Public Safety Recruitment 185 and Retention Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly or 186 any gifts, donations, or bequests for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this 187 section and section 173.2660. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In 188 accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements. 189 The fund shall be a dedicated fund and money in the fund shall be used solely by the 190 department of higher education and workforce development for the purpose of granting 191 tuition awards as provided in this section and section 173.2660. 192 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys 193 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general 194 revenue fund. HB 2911 7
195 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other 196 funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to 197 the fund. 198 13. In any year in which moneys in the public safety recruitment and retention fund 199 are insufficient to fully fund tuition awards for all eligible applicants, tuition awards shall be 200 awarded in the following order of priority; provided that, in the event of a tie in eligibility, 201 available funds shall be distributed on a pro rata basis: 202 (1) Priority class one shall include public safety personnel, in the following order: 203 (a) Public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially in counties or 204 cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined by the most 205 recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and 206 (b) Public safety personnel with the most years of service; and 207 (2) Priority class two shall include dependents of public safety personnel, in the 208 following order: 209 (a) Dependents of public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially 210 in counties or cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined 211 by the most recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of 212 Investigation; and 213 (b) Dependents of public safety personnel with the most years of service. 214 14. The tuition awards provided for in this section and section 173.2660 are subject to 215 appropriation. If there are no moneys in the fund established in subsection 12 of this section, 216 no tuition awards shall be granted. ✔
Statutes affected: