Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB188 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1		-	~~HB188ENGROSSED~~
	1	+	HB188INTRODUCED
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3	3		HB188
4		-	~~MU6AWHW-2~~
	4	+	RCAWYYN-1
5	5		By Representatives Treadaway, Wilcox, Hurst, Wood (R),
6	6		Yarbrough
7	7		RFD: Ways and Means Education
8	8		First Read: 05-Feb-25
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14		-	6 ~~HB188 Engrossed~~
	14	+	6 RCAWYYN-1 01/30/2025 JC (L)lg 2024-3188
15	15		Page 1
16	16		First Read: 05-Feb-25
	17	+	SYNOPSIS:
	18	+	Existing law provides that in certain
	19	+	circumstances a child or a spouse of a law enforcement
	20	+	officer who is killed or totally disabled in the line
	21	+	of duty may receive financial assistance to pay college
	22	+	tuition.
	23	+	This bill would establish a program to pay
	24	+	tuition and associated expenses on behalf of children
	25	+	and spouses of long-term city, county, and state law
	26	+	enforcement officers. This bill would provide that the
	27	+	scholarship money may be used for an undergraduate
	28	+	course of study offered by a public or private
	29	+	technical school, college, or university in the State
	30	+	of Alabama.
	31	+	This bill would also provide for the
	32	+	administration of this scholarship by the Alabama
	33	+	Commission on Higher Education; and would require
	34	+	annual reporting on the program to the Legislature.
17	35		A BILL
18	36		TO BE ENTITLED
19	37		AN ACT
20	38		Relating to scholarships; to establish a program to
21		-	grant tuition money to dependents of law enforcement officers
22		-	for use in participating public or private institutions of
23		-	higher education in the State of Alabama; to provide
24		-	requirements for scholarship eligibility; to provide
25		-	scholarship conditions and terms; to provide for
26		-	administration of the program by the Alabama Commission on
27		-	Higher Education; to establish the Alabama Law Enforcement
28		-	Officers Family Scholarship Fund; and to establish a
29		-	distinctive blackout license plate to help fund the
30		-	scholarship program.
31		-	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
32		-	Section 1. Article 11, commencing with Section
33		-	36-21-220, is added to Chapter 21 of Title 36, Code of Alabama
34		-	1975, to read as follows:
35		-	Article 11.
36		-	§36-21-220
37		-	This article shall be known and cited as the Alabama
38		-	Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program.
39		-	§36-21-221
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	66	+	28 HB188 INTRODUCED
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69		-	§36-21-221
	68	+	Relating to scholarships; to establish a program to
	69	+	grant tuition money to dependents of law enforcement officers
	70	+	for use in participating public or private institutions of
	71	+	higher education in the State of Alabama; to provide
	72	+	requirements for scholarship eligibility; to provide
	73	+	scholarship conditions and terms; and to provide for
	74	+	administration of the program by the Alabama Commission on
	75	+	Higher Education.
	76	+	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
	77	+	Section 1. Article 11, commencing with Section
	78	+	36-21-220, is added to Chapter 21 of Title 36, Code of Alabama
	79	+	1975, to read as follows:
	80	+	Article 11.
	81	+	§36-11-220
	82	+	This article shall be known and cited as the Alabama
	83	+	Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program.
	84	+	§36-11-221
70	85		As used in this article, the following terms have the
71	86		following meanings:
72	87		(1) ACADEMIC PERIOD. A semester or quarter.
73		-	(2) APPROVED POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM. Any for-credit or
74		-	non-credit workforce or career training program or course of
75		-	study at the undergraduate level directed toward a vocational
76		-	certification, an associate degree, or a baccalaureate degree
77		-	offered by a participating institution. The term includes an
78		-	academic major.
	88	+	(2) APPROVED POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM. Any training or
	89	+	course of study at the undergraduate level directed toward a
	90	+	vocational certification, an associate degree, or a
	91	+	baccalaureate degree offered by a participating institution.
	92	+	The term includes an academic major.
79	93		(3) COMMISSION. The Alabama Commission on Higher
80	94		Education, including the commission's Office of Student
81	95		Assistance.
82		-	(4) ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT. An individual who, on the date
83		-	of applying for the scholarship provided under this article,
84		-	is:
85		-	a. Not eligible for the police officer's survivors
86		-	educational assistance provided under Article 5 of this
87		-	chapter; and
88		-	b. Either of the following:
89		-	1. A natural or adopted child of a qualifying law
90		-	enforcement officer, who is under 27 years of age, and who has
91		-	resided in the state for at least the two preceding years; or
92		-	2. The current or surviving spouse of a qualifying law
93		-	enforcement officer who has resided in the state for at least
94		-	the two preceding years.
95		-	(5) LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. Any law enforcement
96		-	department or agency that serves the state, a municipality, a
97		-	county, or a postsecondary educational institution.
	96	+	(4) ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT. An individual who is ineligible
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125		-	56 HB188 ~~Engrossed~~
	124	+	56 HB188 INTRODUCED
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127		-	county, or a postsecondary educational institution.
	126	+	(4) ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT. An individual who is ineligible
	127	+	for the educational assistance provided under Article 5 of
	128	+	this chapter who, on the date of applying for the scholarship
	129	+	provided under this article, is:
	130	+	a. A natural or adopted child of a qualifying law
	131	+	enforcement officer, who is under 27 years of age, and who has
	132	+	resided in the state for at least the two preceding years; or
	133	+	b. The current or surviving spouse of a qualifying law
	134	+	enforcement officer who has resided in the state for at least
	135	+	the two preceding years.
	136	+	(5) LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. Any state, municipal, or
	137	+	county law enforcement department or agency.
128	138		(6) PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION. An accredited public or
129	139		private postsecondary vocational school, technical school,
130	140		community or junior college, college, or university that
131	141		enters into a contract with the board to accept reimbursement
132	142		for a scholarship awarded to an eligible dependent.
133	143		(7) QUALIFYING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. An individual
134	144		who:
135	145		a. Is or has been certified by the Alabama Peace
136	146		Officers' Standards and Training Commission.
137	147		b. Is employed full-time for at least seven years by a
138	148		single law enforcement agency in the state, or at least 12
139	149		continuous years on a full-time basis by more than one law
140	150		enforcement agency in the state.
141	151		c. If no longer employed in law enforcement or retired,
142	152		was not terminated from the most recent employment as a law
143	153		enforcement officer pursuant to a disciplinary action.
144	154		(8) REQUIRED EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. Costs charged for
145		-	tuition, mandatory fees, and books or electronic and digital
146		-	media required on a course syllabus.
147		-	§36-21-222
148		-	(a) The Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
149		-	Scholarship is established to reimburse participating
150		-	institutions on behalf of eligible dependents the cost of
151		-	required educational expenses for up to eight semesters or 12
152		-	quarters in an approved postsecondary program.
153		-	(b)(1) The scholarship shall pay required educational
154		-	expenses after any other amounts from public or private
155		-	scholarships, grants, aid, or gifts awarded by third parties
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183		-	84 HB188 ~~Engrossed~~
	182	+	84 HB188 INTRODUCED
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	184	+	(8) REQUIRED EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. Costs charged for
	185	+	tuition, mandatory fees, and books or electronic and digital
	186	+	media required on a course syllabus.
	187	+	§36-11-222
	188	+	(a) The Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
	189	+	Scholarship is established to reimburse participating
	190	+	institutions on behalf of eligible dependents the cost of
	191	+	required educational expenses for up to eight semesters or 16
	192	+	quarters in an approved postsecondary program.
	193	+	(b)(1) The scholarship shall pay required educational
	194	+	expenses after any other amounts from public or private
185	195		scholarships, grants, aid, or gifts awarded by third parties
186	196		to the eligible dependent for the academic period have been
187	197		applied.
188	198		(2) The amount for each recipient shall be capped at
189	199		three thousand dollars ($3,000) for each academic period.
190	200		(c) The scholarship may be granted to as many
191	201		dependents of one qualifying law enforcement officer as are
192	202		eligible and who comply with the requirements of this article.
193	203		(d) The scholarship shall be administered by the
194	204		commission.
195	205		(e)(1) Availability of the scholarship to eligible
196	206		dependents is subject to an annual appropriation to the
197	207		Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program
198	208		in the annual Education Trust Fund Appropriation Act, which
199	209		shall not exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000).
200	210		(2) Available money for the scholarship may be
201	211		supplemented by private donations.
202	212		(3) Reimbursement shall be made at the end of each
203		-	academic period by the commission to a participating
204		-	institution by certified invoice submitted by the institution
205		-	that is substantiated by the name of each student receiving
206		-	the scholarship, with the amount claimed for each student.
207		-	(f) Participating institutions shall enter into a
208		-	contract with the commission and agree to provide any records
209		-	to the commission upon request.
210		-	§36-21-223
211		-	The scholarship application by an eligible dependent
212		-	shall be submitted to the commission and include, but not be
213		-	limited to, the following:
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241		-	112 HB188 ~~Engrossed~~
	240	+	112 HB188 INTRODUCED
242	241		Page 5
	242	+	(3) Reimbursement shall be made at the end of each
	243	+	academic period by the commission to a participating
	244	+	institution by certified invoice submitted by the institution
	245	+	that is substantiated by the name of each student receiving
	246	+	the scholarship, with the amount claimed for each student.
	247	+	(f) Participating institutions shall enter into a
	248	+	contract with the commission and agree to provide any records
	249	+	to the commission upon request.
	250	+	§36-11-223
	251	+	The scholarship application by an eligible dependent
	252	+	shall be submitted to the commission and include, but not be
243	253		limited to, the following:
244	254		(1) Documentation from the participating institution
245	255		that the applicant has been accepted for admission and is
246	256		enrolled as a student.
247	257		(2) A copy of a completed Free Application for Federal
248	258		Student Aid (FAFSA) submitted to the United States Department
249		-	of Education, or documentation from the participating
250		-	institution that the applicant has completed a FAFSA.
	259	+	of Education.
251	260		(3) Documentation, as determined by rules adopted by
252	261		the commission, that a spouse or parent is a qualifying law
253	262		enforcement officer.
254	263		(4) In the case of a dependent who is a current or
255	264		surviving spouse, a certified copy of the marriage certificate
256	265		to a qualifying law enforcement officer.
257	266		(5) In the case of a dependent who is a natural or
258	267		adoptive child, a certified copy of the birth certificate or
259	268		the decree of adoption showing the parental relationship to a
260	269		qualifying law enforcement officer.
261		-	(6) A signed Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
262		-	(FERPA) release form.
263		-	§36-21-224
264		-	(a) Approval for the scholarship shall be granted to an
265		-	eligible dependent upon submission of the documentation
266		-	required under Section 36-11-223 and shall continue for each
267		-	academic period for which the scholarship may be available as
268		-	provided in Section 36-11-222(a) on the following conditions:
269		-	(1) That the recipient complies with the Standards of
270		-	Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as required for Title IV
271		-	benefits under the federal Higher Education Act and as defined
	270	+	(6) A copy of a completed Family Educational Rights and
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	298	+	140 HB188 INTRODUCED
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	300	+	(6) A copy of a completed Family Educational Rights and
	301	+	Privacy Act (FERPA) release form submitted to the
	302	+	participating institution.
	303	+	§36-11-224
	304	+	(a) Approval for the scholarship shall be granted to an
	305	+	eligible dependent upon submission of the documentation
	306	+	required under Section 36-11-223 and shall continue for each
	307	+	academic period for which the scholarship may be available as
	308	+	provided in Section 36-11-222(a) on the following conditions:
	309	+	(1) That the recipient complies with the Standards of
	310	+	Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as required for Title IV
301	311		benefits under the federal Higher Education Act and as defined
302	312		by the participating institution for each academic period for
303	313		which the recipient is enrolled.
304	314		(2) That the recipient maintain his or her full-time
305	315		residency in the state.
306	316		(3) That the recipient completes the academic terms for
307	317		which the scholarship is available pursuant to Section
308	318		36-11-222(a) within 66 months of the approval of the
309	319		application, in the absence of a formal waiver of this
310	320		condition by the commission due to injury, illness, the
311	321		necessity of part-time enrollment, or some other extraordinary
312	322		circumstance.
313	323		(b) If the recipient's eligibility is based on spousal
314	324		status, eligibility shall end if the marriage to the
315	325		qualifying law enforcement officer is terminated by a decree
316	326		of divorce or, in the case of a recipient who is a surviving
317	327		spouse, remarriage.
318	328		(c) A recipient may maintain eligibility for the
319		-	scholarship while changing his or her approved postsecondary
320		-	program or transferring to another participating institution,
321		-	or both, only if the change or transfer is approved by the
322		-	appropriate participating institution no later than the
323		-	beginning of the fifth semester or the ninth quarter for which
324		-	the scholarship would be available.
325		-	§36-21-225
326		-	(a) The responsibilities of the commission include, but
327		-	may not be limited to, the following:
328		-	(1) Receive scholarship applications.
329		-	(2) Make determinations on scholarship eligibility.
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	356	+	168 HB188 INTRODUCED
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	358	+	(c) A recipient may maintain eligibility for the
	359	+	scholarship while changing his or her approved postsecondary
	360	+	program or transferring to another participating institution,
	361	+	or both, only if the change or transfer is approved by the
	362	+	appropriate participating institution no later than the
	363	+	beginning of the fifth semester or the ninth quarter for which
	364	+	the scholarship would be available.
	365	+	§36-11-225
	366	+	(a) The responsibilities of the commission include, but
	367	+	may not be limited to, the following:
	368	+	(1) Receive scholarship applications.
359	369		(2) Make determinations on scholarship eligibility.
360	370		(3) Waive scholarship requirements as provided in this
361	371		article.
362	372		(4) Enter into and administer contracts with
363	373		participating institutions.
364	374		(5) Develop the necessary forms to administer the
365	375		program.
366	376		(6) Publicize the scholarship by written materials or
367	377		electronic means and accept donations.
368	378		(b) The commission is authorized to adopt rules to
369	379		implement, administer, and interpret the requirements of this
370	380		article.
371		-	§36-21-226
	381	+	§36-11-226
372	382		The commission shall report to the Legislature, by
373	383		January 1 of each year, all of the following:
374	384		(1) The number of applicants approved in the previous
375	385		fiscal year.
376	386		(2) The number of applicants approved as of the
377		-	reporting date of the current fiscal year.
378		-	(3) The number of recipients, by the number of
379		-	remaining academic terms for which they may be eligible for
380		-	the scholarship.
381		-	(4) The cost of the previous fiscal year's expenditures
382		-	to the program, arranged by each participating institution and
383		-	the number of recipients who are enrolled with each
384		-	participating institution.
385		-	(5) The number of recipients in the previous fiscal
386		-	year who completed an approved postsecondary program by being
387		-	awarded a certificate or a degree.
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	414	+	196 HB188 INTRODUCED
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	416	+	(2) The number of applicants approved as of the
	417	+	reporting date of the current fiscal year.
	418	+	(3) The number of recipients, by the number of
	419	+	remaining academic terms for which they may be eligible for
	420	+	the scholarship.
	421	+	(4) The cost of the previous fiscal year's expenditures
	422	+	to the program, arranged by each participating institution and
	423	+	the number of recipients who are enrolled with each
	424	+	participating institution.
	425	+	(5) The number of recipients in the previous fiscal
	426	+	year who completed an approved postsecondary program by being
417	427		awarded a certificate or a degree.
418		-	§36-21-227
419		-	(a) The Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
420		-	Scholarship Fund is created in the State Treasury. All monies
421		-	received by the commission pursuant to this article or
422		-	otherwise from any source permitted by this article shall be
423		-	deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the fund.
424		-	Amounts deposited into the fund shall be budgeted and allotted
425		-	in accordance with Sections 41-4-80 through 41-4-96 and
426		-	Sections 41-19-1 through 41-19-12, Code of Alabama 1975.
427		-	(b) The commission may accept additional funding for
428		-	the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship
429		-	Program from public and private sources, including
430		-	appropriations, loans, federal gifts, grants, corporate
431		-	sponsorships, and individual donations.
432		-	(c) The commission shall ensure that proceeds received
433		-	from Section 2 shall be the first funds expended for the
434		-	program each fiscal year.
435		-	Section 2. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 32-6-64,
436		-	32-6-67, and 32-6-68, upon application to the judge of probate
437		-	or license commissioner, compliance with motor vehicle
438		-	registration and licensing laws, payment of regular fees
439		-	required by law for license plates for private passenger or
440		-	pleasure motor vehicles or motorcycles, and payment of an
441		-	additional annual fee of fifty dollars ($50), owners of motor
442		-	vehicles or motorcycles who are residents of Alabama shall
443		-	upon request be issued a personalized blackout license plate.
444		-	(b) The additional blackout license plate fee shall be
445		-	distributed in the following manner:
	428	+	Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
	429	+	1, 2025.
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473		-	224 HB188 Engrossed
474		-	Page 9
475		-	distributed in the following manner:
476		-	(1) Two and one-half percent commission, provided by
477		-	Section 40-12-269(a)(1).
478		-	(2) Manufacturing costs of one dollar and fifty cents
479		-	($1.50) to the Department of Corrections.
480		-	(3) Administrative costs of one dollar ($1) to the
481		-	Department of Revenue.
482		-	(4) The remainder of the additional fee shall be
483		-	deposited into the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
484		-	Scholarship Fund.
485		-	(c) The Commissioner of Revenue shall prescribe a
486		-	suitable plate design that includes a black background with
487		-	white text.
488		-	(d) The blackout plates shall be issued, printed, and
489		-	processed like other personalized plates provided for by law
490		-	and shall be furnished for the licensing year commencing
491		-	January 1, 2026.
492		-	(e) The Department of Revenue may adopt any rules
493		-	necessary to administer this section.
494		-	Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
495		-	1, 2025.
496		-	225
497		-	226
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513		-	242
514		-	243
515		-	244 HB188 Engrossed
516		-	Page 10
517		-	1, 2025.
518		-	House of Representatives
519		-	Read for the first time and referred
520		-	to the House of Representatives
521		-	committee on Ways and Means
522		-	Education
523		-	................05-Feb-25
524		-	Read for the second time and placed
525		-	on the calendar:
526		-	3 amendments
527		-	................12-Feb-25
528		-	Read for the third time and passed
529		-	as amended
530		-	Yeas 101
531		-	Nays 0
532		-	Abstains 0
533		-	................18-Feb-25
534		-	John Treadwell
535		-	Clerk
536		-	245
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538		-	247
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540		-	249
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