HOUSE FILE 426

BY  RUNNING-MARQUARDT

A BILL FOR

An Act requiring community colleges and state board of regents universities to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for the children of peace officers, police officers, and fire fighters killed or totally and permanently incapacitated in the line of duty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 260C.14, Code 2011, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  23.  Adopt rules to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for any student in good standing who is a resident of Iowa; is under the age of twenty-six, or under the age of thirty if the student is a qualified veteran as defined in subsection 14; is not a convicted felon as defined in section 910.15; and meets the following criteria:
   a.  Is the child of a peace officer, as defined in section 97A.1, who receives benefits under section 97A.6, subsection 5, or was killed in the line of duty as determined by the board of trustees of the Iowa department of public safety peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system in accordance with section 97A.6, subsection 16.
   b.  Is the child of a police officer or a fire fighter, as defined in section 411.1, who receives benefits under section 411.6, subsection 5, or was killed in the line of duty as determined by the statewide fire and police retirement system in accordance with section 411.6, subsection 15.
   Sec. 2.  Section 262.9, Code 2011, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  36.  Adopt rules that require the institutions of higher education under its control to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for any undergraduate student in good standing who is a resident of Iowa; is under the age of twenty-six, or under the age of thirty if the student is a qualified veteran as defined in subsection 17; is not a convicted felon as defined in section 910.15; and meets the following criteria:
   a.  Is the child of a peace officer, as defined in section 97A.1, who receives benefits under section 97A.6, subsection 5, or was killed in the line of duty as determined by the board of trustees of the Iowa department of public safety peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system in accordance with section 97A.6, subsection 16.
   b.  Is the child of a police officer or a fire fighter, as defined in section 411.1, who receives benefits under section 411.6, subsection 5, or was killed in the line of duty as determined by the statewide fire and police retirement system in accordance with section 411.6, subsection 15.
   Sec. 3.  IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT.  Section 25B.2, subsection 3, shall not apply to this Act.
EXPLANATION
   This bill directs the community colleges and regents universities to waive tuition and mandatory fee charges for any undergraduate student in good standing who is a resident of Iowa; is under the age of 26, or 30 if the student is a veteran who is eligible for or has exhausted federal veterans educational benefits and has resided in this state for at least one year or sufficient time to have filed an Iowa tax return in the preceding 12 months; is not a convicted felon; and is the child of a peace officer, police officer, or fire fighter who receives accidental disability benefits or who was killed in the line of duty.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill.