FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.496
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECHRIST.
1663H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter173,RSMo,byaddingtheretotwonewsectionsrelatingtocollegetuition
forfirstresponders.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter173,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretotwonewsections,tobe
2knownassections173.2655and173.2660,toreadasfollows:
173.2655.1.Thissectionandsection173.2660shallbeknownandmaybecited
2asthe"FirstResponderRecruitmentandRetentionAct".
3 2.Forpurposesofthissectionandsection173.2660,thefollowingtermsmean:
4 (1)"Advancedemergencymedicaltechnician",assuchtermisdefinedinsection
5190.100;
6 (2)"Emergencymedicaltechnician",assuchtermisdefinedinsection190.100;
7 (3)"Firefighter",assuchtermisdefinedinsection87.120;
8 (4)"Firstresponder",assuchtermisdefinedinsection67.145;
9 (5)"Legaldependent",assuchtermisdefinedbytheUnitedStatesDepartment
10ofEducationforpurposesoftheFreeApplicationforFederalStudentAid;
11 (6)"Lineofduty",anyactionthatafirstresponderisauthorizedorobligatedby
12law,rule,orregulationtoperform,relatedtoorasaconditionofemploymentor
13service;
14 (7)"Paramedic",assuchtermisdefinedinsection190.100;
15 (8)"Publicinstitutionofhighereducation",apubliccommunitycollege,state
16college,orstateuniversity;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (9)"Tuition",thechargesandcostoftuitionassetbythegoverningbodyofa
18publicinstitutionofhighereducation.
19 3.Afirstrespondershallbeentitledtoawaiverofonehundredpercentofthe
20residenttuitionchargesofapublicinstitutionofhighereducationifthefirstresponder:
21 (1)Possessesoneofthefollowing:
22 (a)Acurrent,validlicenseissuedbythedepartmentofhealthandsenior
23servicesauthorizingsuchpersontoserveasanemergencymedicaltechnician,advanced
24emergencymedicaltechnician,orparamedic;
25 (b)Acurrent,validlicenseissuedbythepeaceofficerstandardsandtraining
26commissionauthorizingsuchpersontoserveasapeaceofficerpursuanttothe
27provisionsofchapter590;
28 (c)Acurrent,validcertificateissuedbythedivisionoffiresafetyauthorizing
29suchpersontoserveasafirefighter;
30 (d)Acurrent,validlicenseissuedbythestateboardofnursingauthorizingsuch
31persontoengageinthepracticeofprofessionalnursingpursuanttotheprovisionsof
32chapter335;
33 (e)Acurrent,validlicenseissuedbytheboardofhealingartsauthorizingsuch
34persontopracticemedicinepursuanttotheprovisionsofchapter334;
35 (f)Anyothercurrent,validlicenseorcertificationthatisrequiredforsuchfirst
36responder'semployment;or
37 (g)Forfirstresponderswhoareemployedinapositionthatdoesnotrequirea
38licenseorcertificatedescribedinparagraphs(a)to(f)ofthissubdivision,thecertificate
39ofverificationdescribedinparagraph(h)ofthissubdivision;and
40 (h)Forallfirstresponders,acertificateofverificationsignedbythefirst
41responder'ssupervisororemployerverifyingthatsuchfirstresponderiscurrently
42employedasafirstresponderwhoistrainedandauthorizedbylaworruletorender
43emergencymedicalassistanceortreatment;
44 (2)Meetsalladmissionrequirementsofthepublicinstitutionofhigher
45education;
46 (3)Pursuesstudiesleadingtoadegreethatrelatestoacareerasafirst
47responderfromanassociatedegreeprogramorabaccalaureatedegreeprogram;
48 (4)Submitsverificationoftheprofessionallicenseorcertificate,ifapplicable,
49andcertificateofverificationrequiredbysubdivision(1)ofthissubsectiontothe
50departmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopment,inaformandmanneras
51prescribedbythedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopment;and
52 (5)Fileswiththedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopment
53documentationshowingproofofemploymentasafirstresponderandproofofresidence
HB496 2 54inMissourieachyearsuchfirstresponderorsuchfirstresponder'slegaldependent
55appliesforandreceivesthetuitionwaiver.
56 4.Afirstrespondermayreceivethetuitionwaiverpursuanttosubsection3of
57thissectionforuptofiveyearsifheorsheotherwisecontinuestobeeligibleforthe
58tuitionwaiver.Thefiveyearsoftuitionwaivereligibilitystartsoncethefirstresponder
59appliesforandreceivesthetuitionwaiverforthefirsttimeandisavailabletosuchfirst
60responderforthenextfiveconsecutiveyears.
61 5.Alegaldependentofafirstresponderwhosatisfiestheprovisionsof
62subsection3ofthissectionshallbeentitledtoatuitionwaiverofonehundredpercentof
63theresidenttuitionchargesofanypublicinstitutionofhighereducationforanassociate
64orbaccalaureatedegreeprogramifthelegaldependent:
65 (1)Executesanagreementwithsuchinstitutioninaccordancewiththe
66provisionsofsection173.2660;
67 (2)Hasnotpreviouslyearnedabaccalaureatedegree;
68 (3)Meetsalladmissionrequirementsofthepublicinstitutionofhigher
69education;
70 (4)CompletesandsubmitstotheUnitedStatesDepartmentofEducationaFree
71ApplicationforFederalStudentAid;
72 (5)Submitsadocumenttothepublicinstitutionofhighereducationconfirming
73thatthelegaldependenthassatisfiedsubdivision(4)ofthissubsection,tobesubmitted
74inaformandmannerasprescribedbythepublicinstitutionofhighereducation;and
75 (6)Submitstheverificationrequiredpursuanttosubsection8ofthissectionto
76thepublicinstitutionofhighereducation.
77 6.Alegaldependentmayreceivethetuitionwaiverforuptofiveyearsifthe
78firstresponderandthelegaldependentcontinuetobeeligibleforsuchtuitionwaiver.
79Thefiveyearsoftuitionwaivereligibilitystartsoncethelegaldependentappliesforand
80receivesthetuitionwaiverforthefirsttimeandisavailabletosuchlegaldependentfor
81thenextfiveconsecutiveyears.
82 7.Thepublicinstitutionofhighereducationshallwaiveonehundredpercentof
83thefirstresponder'sorthelegaldependent'stuitionremainingdueaftersubtracting
84awardedfederalfinancialaidgrantsandstatescholarshipsandgrantsforaneligible
85firstresponderorlegaldependentduringthetimethefirstresponderorlegaldependent
86isenrolled.Toremaineligible,thefirstresponderorlegaldependentshallcomplywith
87allrequirementsoftheinstitutionforcontinuedattendanceandawardofanassociate
88degreeorabaccalaureatedegree.
89 8.(1)Anapplicationforatuitionwaivershallincludeaverificationofthefirst
90responder'ssatisfactionoftherequirementsofsubsection3ofthissection.Thefirst
HB496 3 91respondershallincludesuchverificationwhenthefirstresponderorthefirst
92responder'slegaldependentisapplyingtothepublicinstitutionofhighereducation
93inordertoobtainatuitionwaiveruponinitialenrollment.
94 (2)Thedeathofafirstresponderinthelineofdutywhichoccursafter
95submissionofanapplicationforatuitionwaivershallnotdisqualifysuchfirst
96responder'sotherwiseeligiblelegaldependentfromreceivingthetuitionwaiver.Insuch
97case,inlieuofsubmittingthecertificateofverificationprovidedforinsubdivision(1)of
98thissubsection,thelegaldependentshallsubmitastatementattestingthat:
99 (a)Atthetimeofdeath,suchfirstrespondersatisfiedtherequirementsof
100subdivision(1)ofthissubsection;and
101 (b)Suchfirstresponderdiedinthelineofduty.
102 9.Withinforty-fivedaysafterreceiptofacompletedapplicationforatuition
103waiver,thepublicinstitutionofhighereducationshallsendwrittennoticeofthefirst
104responder'sorlegaldependent'seligibilityorineligibilityforthetuitionwaiver.Ifthe
105firstresponderorlegaldependentisdeterminednottobeeligibleforthetuitionwaiver,
106thenoticeshallincludethereasonorreasonsforsuchdetermination.
107 10.Thedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopmentshall
108promulgaterulestoimplementtheprovisionsofthissectionandsection173.2660.Any
109ruleorportionofarule,asthattermisdefinedinsection536.010,thatiscreatedunder
110theauthoritydelegatedinthissectionshallbecomeeffectiveonlyifitcomplieswithand
111issubjecttoalloftheprovisionsofchapter536and,ifapplicable,section536.028.This
112sectionandchapter536arenonseverableandifanyofthepowersvestedwiththe
113generalassemblypursuanttochapter536toreview,todelaytheeffectivedate,orto
114disapproveandannularulearesubsequentlyheldunconstitutional,thenthegrantof
115rulemakingauthorityandanyruleproposedoradoptedafterAugust28,2025,shallbe
116invalidandvoid.
173.2660.1.Eachlegaldependentwhoisatuitionwaiverrecipientpursuantto
2theprovisionsofsection173.2655shallexecuteanagreementasprovidedinthissection.
3Suchagreementshallincludethefollowingterms,asappropriate:
4 (1)ThetuitionwaiverrecipientagreestoresidewithinthestateofMissourifora
5periodoffiveyearsfollowingtheuseofthetuitionwaiver;
6 (2)Eachyearduringthefive-yearperiodfollowinguseofthetuitionwaiver,the
7tuitionwaiverrecipientagreestofileastateincometaxreturnandprovideacopyof
8suchtaxreturntothedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopmentto
9documentthatsuchrecipientstillresidesinthestateofMissouri;
10 (3)Ifthetuitionwaiverrecipientfailstoannuallyfileataxreturntoprove
11residencyinthestateofMissouriforthefive-yearperiodfollowingtheuseofthetuition
HB496 4 12waiverorfailstoremainaresidentofMissouriforthefive-yearperiodfollowingtheuse
13ofthetuitionwaiver,thetuitionwaiverrecipientagreestorepaythepublicinstitutionof
14highereducationattendedbysuchtuitionwaiverrecipienttheamountoftuitionthat
15waswaivedforsuchindividualifthepublicinstitutionofhighereducationrequestssuch
16paymentonthedatesandintheamountsrequested;and
17 (4)Anyresidency,filing,orpaymentobligationincurredbythetuitionwaiver
18recipientunderthefirstresponderrecruitmentandretentionactiscancelledinthe
19eventofthetuitionwaiverrecipient'stotalandpermanentdisabilityordeath.
20 2.Thefive-yearresidencyrequirementbeginsoncethelegaldependentapplies
21forandreceivesthetuitionwaiverforthefirsttimeandcontinuesuntilthetuition
22waiverrecipient's:
23 (1)Completionofthefive-yeartuitionwaivereligibilityperiod;
24 (2)Completionofabaccalaureatedegreeatapublicinstitutionofhigher
25education;
26 (3)Completionofanassociatedegreeatapubliccommunitycollegeand
27notificationtothedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforcedevelopmentthatsuch
28recipientdoesnotintendtopursueabaccalaureatedegreeoradditionalassociatedegree
29usingtuitionwaiverspursuanttothefirstresponderrecruitmentandretentionact;or
30 (4)Notificationtothedepartmentofhighereducationandworkforce
31developmentthatsuchrecipientdoesnotplantouseadditionaltuitionwaivers
32pursuanttothefirstresponderrecruitmentandretentionact.
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