This bill amends the existing law regarding the waiver of tuition and fees for children of certain deceased public safety personnel, including police officers, firefighters, and National Guard members. Key changes include updated definitions for "firefighter," "police officer," and "volunteer fire company," expanding the scope to include individuals employed outside of Pennsylvania. Specifically, the definition of "firefighter" now encompasses members of rescue squads or ambulance services outside the Commonwealth, while "police officer" includes those employed outside Pennsylvania. The bill also establishes the Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program for children of these individuals who are residents of Pennsylvania and were killed in the line of duty, with specific provisions for those employed outside the state.

Additionally, the bill repeals the previous retroactivity clause that allowed benefits to be available for qualified children of deceased personnel dating back to January 1, 1976. Instead, the amendments to the definitions and the benefits will apply retroactively to January 1, 2004, but no reimbursements will be made for tuition and fees incurred between that date and the effective date of the new provisions. The Legislative Reference Bureau is tasked with removing outdated findings and declarations from the act, and the bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 46 (Jan 22, 2025): P.L.980, No.129
Printer's No. 0046: P.L.980, No.129