HOUSE BILL NO. 3332 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MATTHIESEN.
4133H.02I 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Section A. Section 173.2655, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu 2 thereof, to be known as section 173.2655, to read as follows: 173.2655. 1.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 3332 2
18 (6) "Legal dependent", as such term is defined by the United States Department of 19 Education for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid; 20 (7) "Line of duty", any action that public safety personnel is authorized or obligated 21 by law, rule, or regulation to perform, related to or as a condition of employment or service; 22 (8) "Open seat", a vacant position in a class, course, or program that is available for 23 enrollment, and which may become available when a student drops out or transfers, or when a 24 class, course, or program has unused capacity, allowing new students to register or enroll; 25 (9) "Paramedic", as such term is defined in section 190.100; 26 (10) "Police officer", any person who, by virtue of office or public employment, is 27 vested by law with the power and duty to make arrests for violation of the laws of the state of 28 Missouri or ordinances of any municipality thereof, while acting within the scope of his or her 29 authority as an employee of a public law enforcement agency, as such term is defined in 30 section 590.1040; 31 (11) "Public safety personnel", includes any police officer, firefighter, paramedic, air 32 ambulance pilot, air ambulance paramedic or nurse, telecommunicator first responder, 33 emergency medical technician, or advanced emergency medical technician who is trained and 34 authorized by law or rule to render emergency medical assistance or treatment; 35 (12) "Telecommunicator first responder", as such term is defined in section 650.320; 36 (13) "Tuition", the charges and cost of tuition as set by the governing body of an 37 institution of higher education, including fees such as course fees, activity fees, technology 38 fees, and mandatory fees charged by such institution to all full-time students as a condition of 39 enrollment, but excluding the costs of room, board, books, and any other educational 40 materials, equipment, or supplies. 41 3. Subject to appropriation, public safety personnel with at least six years of service 42 shall be entitled to an award worth up to one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of 43 an institution of higher education if the individual: 44 (1) Possesses one of the following: 45 (a) A current, valid license issued by the department of health and senior services 46 authorizing such person to serve as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency 47 medical technician, or paramedic; 48 (b) A current, valid license issued by the peace officer standards and training 49 commission authorizing such person to serve as a peace officer pursuant to the provisions of 50 chapter 590; 51 (c) A current, valid certificate issued by the division of fire safety [authorizing such 52 person to serve as a firefighter]; or 53 (d) A current, valid certificate confirming successful completion of any ongoing 54 training requirements pursuant to section 650.340; and HB 3332 3
55 (e) For all public safety personnel, a certificate of verification signed by the 56 individual's supervisor or employer verifying that such individual is currently employed full- 57 time as public safety personnel and trained and authorized by law or rule to render emergency 58 medical assistance or treatment; 59 (2) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education; 60 (3) Has not already earned a baccalaureate degree; 61 (4) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity 62 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or 63 baccalaureate degree in one of the following academic subject areas: 64 (a) For police officers, eligible subjects include forensic science, fisheries and 65 wildlife, political science, psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, global 66 studies, Spanish, journalism, advertising, public relations, nutrition and health sciences, 67 communication sciences and disorders, [and] criminal justice, general business, economics, 68 accounting, marketing, finance, human resources management, information systems, 69 and supply chain management and logistics; 70 (b) For firefighters, paramedics, air ambulance pilots, air ambulance paramedics 71 or nurses, emergency medical technicians, and advanced emergency medical technicians, 72 eligible subjects include biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition and health 73 sciences, communication sciences and disorders, Spanish, advertising, public relations, 74 paramedicine, fire science, fire technology, fire administration, fire management, 75 communications, homeland security, emergency management, disaster management, [and] 76 crisis management, general business, economics, accounting, marketing, finance, human 77 resources management, information systems, and supply chain management and 78 logistics; and 79 (c) For telecommunicator first responders, eligible subjects include any subject 80 specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision; 81 (5) Submits verification of the professional license or certificate and the certificate of 82 verification required by subdivision (1) of this subsection to the department, in a form and 83 manner as prescribed by the department; 84 (6) Files with the department documentation showing proof of employment as public 85 safety personnel and proof of residence in Missouri each year such individual or such 86 individual's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition 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 HB 3332 4
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 charges 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. HB 3332 5
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. To 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 charged 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 charge 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. HB 3332 6
164 10. All applicants for a tuition award shall submit their applications to the department 165 no later than [December fifteenth] February first annually. No later than [March] May first 166 annually, the department shall send written notice of the applicant's eligibility or ineligibility 167 for the tuition award and state whether the application has been approved or denied. If the 168 applicant is determined not to be eligible for the tuition award, the notice shall include the 169 reason or reasons for such determination. If the application is denied, the notice shall include 170 the reason or reasons for the denial. 171 11. 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 effective 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 effective 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 insufficient 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: HB 3332 7
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. ✔
Statutes affected: