Assigned to ED FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2354
tuition; family; post-traumatic stress; suicide
Purpose
Adds, to individuals eligible for an Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) or community
college district (CCD) tuition waiver scholarship (tuition waiver), a child or spouse of a
U.S. Armed Forces veteran or member, peace officer or firefighter who died by suicide after
suffering a post-traumatic stress injury in the line of duty.
Background
Arizona public universities and CCDs must grant a tuition waiver to: 1) a verified child or
spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic or member of the
National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces who was killed or died from injuries suffered in the line of
duty while residing or stationed in Arizona; 2) a National Guard member who received a Purple
Heart citation on or after September 11, 2001; 3) an Arizona National Guard member who was
medically discharged due to an injury suffered during active duty, in training status or in response
to a Governor-declared state of emergency; and 4) a U.S. Armed Forces member or former member
who was residing or stationed in Arizona at the time of an injury that resulted in a Purple Heart
citation and whose U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (U.S. VA) disability rating is at least 50
percent. A tuition waiver recipient who is a child of the outlined individuals must be 30 years old
or younger and a recipient who is a spouse must not be remarried. The tuition waiver is limited to
64 community college credit hours and a total number of credits equal to the number required for
a baccalaureate degree at a public university (A.R.S. ยง 15-1808).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires ABOR or a CCD to provide a tuition waiver to an individual at a public university or
community college who is otherwise eligible for the tuition waiver and is the child or spouse
of a person who:
a) was a veteran in the U.S. Armed Forces or was serving or previously served as a peace
officer, firefighter or U.S. Armed Forces member at the time of the person's death;
b) was an Arizona resident at the time of the person's death;
c) suffered a post-traumatic stress injury in the line of duty; and
d) died by suicide.
2. Establishes the following as prima facie evidence that the person suffered a post-traumatic
stress injury:
a) documentation that the peace officer or firefighter at any point received a disability pension
or benefits for a post-traumatic stress injury; FACT SHEET
H.B. 2354
Page 2
b) a discharge or other document from the U.S. Armed Forces showing that the member or
veteran was discharged because of or suffered from a post-traumatic stress injury; or
c) documentation from the U.S. VA showing that the member or veteran suffered from a
post-traumatic stress injury.
3. Directs ABOR or a CCD to verify that an individual is a child or spouse of a person who meets
the outlined requirements with the:
a) Arizona Peace Officers Memorial Board;
b) Arizona Fallen Firefighter Memorial Committee; or
c) Arizona Department of Veterans Services.
4. Specifies that a person is not required to have been employed as a peace officer or firefighter
or serving on active duty as a U.S. Armed Forces member at the time of the person's death for
the person's child or spouse to be eligible for the tuition waiver.
5. Specifies that an individual who meets the tuition waiver requirements under the category for
a child or spouse of an individual who died by suicide after a post-traumatic injury in the line
of duty is eligible regardless of the date on which the individual's parent or spouse suffered the
post-traumatic stress injury and committed suicide.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
MAPS 2/14/22 DP 15-0-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/24/22 58-1-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 18, 2022
LB/MS/slp