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HB98 ENROLLED
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HB98
L58X1AA-2
By Representative Treadaway
RFD: Ways and Means Education
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 06-Jan-26
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PFD: 06-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to scholarships; to establish a program to
grant tuition money to eligible dependents of law enforcement
officers for use in participating public institutions of
higher education in the State of Alabama; to provide
requirements for scholarship eligibility; to provide
scholarship conditions and terms; to provide for
administration of the program by the Alabama Commission on
Higher Education; to establish the Alabama Law Enforcement
Officers' Family Scholarship Fund; and to establish a
distinctive blackout license plate to fund the scholarship
program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Article 11, commencing with Section
36-21-220, is added to Chapter 21 of Title 36, Code of Alabama
1975, to read as follows:
Article 11.
§36-21-220
This article shall be known and cited as the Alabama
Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program.
§36-21-221
As used in this article, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(1) ACADEMIC PERIOD. A semester or quarter.
(2) APPROVED POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM. Any for-credit or
noncredit workforce or career training program or course of
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noncredit workforce or career training program or course of
study at the undergraduate level directed toward a vocational
certification, an associate degree, or a bachelor's degree
offered by a participating institution. The term includes an
academic major.
(3) COMMISSION. The Alabama Commission on Higher
Education, including the commission's Office of Student
Assistance.
(4) ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT. An individual who, on the date
of applying for the scholarship provided under this article,
is:
a. Not eligible for the police officers' survivors
educational assistance provided under Article 5 of this
chapter; and
b. Either of the following:
1. A natural or adopted child of a qualifying law
enforcement officer, who is under 24 years of age and who has
resided in the state for at least the five preceding years.
2. The current or surviving spouse of a qualifying law
enforcement officer who has resided in the state for at least
the five preceding years.
(5) LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. Any law enforcement
department or agency that serves the state, a municipality, a
county, or a postsecondary educational institution.
(6) PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION. An accredited public
postsecondary vocational school, technical school, community
or junior college, college, or university that enters into a
contract with the commission to accept reimbursement for a
scholarship awarded to an eligible dependent.
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scholarship awarded to an eligible dependent.
(7) QUALIFYING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. The term
includes any law enforcement officer, as defined in Section
13A-11-38:
a. Who, on or after January 1, 2026, is employed
full-time for at least 15 years by a law enforcement agency in
the state; or
b. Who, having been employed full-time for at least 15
years by a law enforcement agency in the state, has been
separated for no more than 10 years from full-time employment
as a law enforcement officer due to resignation, retirement,
or death, unless the individual was terminated from final
employment as a law enforcement officer pursuant to a
disciplinary action.
(8) TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES. Costs charged for
tuition and mandatory fees that are assessed for all students
at the participating institution. The term does not include
differential tuition or department-specific or course-specific
fees, or books, equipment, or supplies.
§36-21-222
(a) The Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
Scholarship is established to pay on behalf of eligible
dependents the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for up to
eight semesters or 12 quarters in an approved postsecondary
program.
(b)(1) The scholarship shall pay tuition and mandatory
fees after any other amounts from public or private
scholarships, grants, aid, or gifts awarded by third parties
to the eligible dependent for the academic period have been
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to the eligible dependent for the academic period have been
applied.
(2)a. The amount for each recipient shall be capped at
two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each academic
period.
b. Notwithstanding paragraph a., if the recipient
qualifies for a discount on tuition and mandatory fees because
the recipient's eligibility is based upon the qualifying law
enforcement officer's employment by a law enforcement agency
that serves a postsecondary institution, the amount shall be
capped at one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for each
academic period. This amount may be used for tuition and
mandatory fees at any participating institution.
(c) The scholarship may be granted to as many
dependents of one qualifying law enforcement officer as are
eligible and who comply with the requirements of this article.
(d) The scholarship shall be administered by the
commission.
(e)(1) Availability of the scholarship to eligible
dependents is conditioned, pursuant to Section 36-21-227, on
funds available in the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers'
Family Scholarship Fund.
(2) Reimbursement from the Alabama Law Enforcement
Officers' Family Scholarship Fund shall be made at the end of
each academic period by the commission to a participating
institution by certified invoice submitted by the institution
that is substantiated by the name of each student receiving
the scholarship, with the amount claimed for each student.
(f) Participating institutions shall enter into a
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(f) Participating institutions shall enter into a
contract with the commission and agree to provide any records
to the commission upon request.
§36-21-223
The scholarship application by an eligible dependent
shall be submitted to the commission and include, but not be
limited to, the following:
(1) Documentation from the participating institution
that the applicant has been accepted for admission and is
enrolled as a student.
(2) A copy of a completed Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) submitted to the United States Department
of Education, or documentation from the participating
institution that the applicant has completed a FAFSA.
(3) Documentation, as determined by rules adopted by
the commission, that a spouse or parent is a qualifying law
enforcement officer.
(4) In the case of a dependent who is a current or
surviving spouse, a certified copy of the marriage certificate
to a qualifying law enforcement officer.
(5) In the case of a dependent who is a natural or
adopted child, a certified copy of the birth certificate or
the decree of adoption showing the parental relationship to a
qualifying law enforcement officer.
(6) A signed Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) release form.
§36-21-224
(a) Approval for the scholarship shall be granted to an
eligible dependent upon submission of the documentation
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eligible dependent upon submission of the documentation
required under Section 36-21-223 and shall continue for the
number of academic periods for which the scholarship may be
available as provided in Section 36-21-222(a) upon meeting the
following conditions:
(1) That the recipient complies with the Standards of
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as required for Title IV
benefits under the federal Higher Education Act and as defined
by the participating institution for each academic period for
which the recipient is enrolled.
(2) That the recipient maintains his or her full-time
residency in the state.
(3) That the recipient completes the academic terms for
which the scholarship is available within 66 months of the
approval of the application, in the absence of a formal waiver
of this condition by the commission due to injury, illness,
the necessity of part-time enrollment, or some other
extraordinary circumstance.
(b) If the recipient's eligibility is based on spousal
status, eligibility shall end if the marriage to the
qualifying law enforcement officer is terminated by a decree
of divorce or, in the case of a recipient who is a surviving
spouse, remarriage.
(c) A recipient may maintain eligibility for the
scholarship while changing his or her approved postsecondary
program or transferring to another participating institution,
or both, only if the change or transfer is approved by the
appropriate participating institution no later than the
beginning of the fifth semester or the ninth quarter for which
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beginning of the fifth semester or the ninth quarter for which
the scholarship would be available.
§36-21-225
(a) The responsibilities of the commission include, but
may not be limited to, the following:
(1) Receive scholarship applications.
(2) Make determinations on scholarship eligibility.
(3) Waive scholarship requirements as provided in this
article.
(4) Enter into and administer contracts with
participating institutions.
(5) Develop the necessary forms to administer the
program.
(6) Publicize the scholarship by written materials or
electronic means and accept donations.
(b) The commission is authorized to charge a fee of no
more than three percent of the monies deposited to the credit
of the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship
Fund in a fiscal year for administering this article.
(c) The commission is authorized to adopt rules to
implement, administer, and interpret the requirements of this
article.
§36-21-226
The commission shall report to the Legislature, by
January 1 of each year, all of the following:
(1) The number of applicants approved in the previous
fiscal year.
(2) The number of applicants approved as of the
reporting date of the current fiscal year.
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reporting date of the current fiscal year.
(3) The number of recipients, by the number of
remaining academic terms for which they may be eligible for
the scholarship.
(4) The cost of the previous fiscal year's expenditures
to the program, arranged by each participating institution and
the number of recipients who are enrolled with each
participating institution.
(5) The number of recipients in the previous fiscal
year who completed an approved postsecondary program by being
awarded a certificate or a degree.
§36-21-227
(a) The Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
Scholarship Fund is created in the State Treasury. All monies
received by the commission from any source as provided in
subsections (b) or (c) or pursuant to Section 2 shall be
deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the fund.
Amounts deposited into the fund shall be budgeted and allotted
in accordance with Sections 41-4-80 through 41-4-96 and
Sections 41-19-1 through 41-19-12.
(b)(1) Availability of the scholarship to eligible
dependents, beginning with the fiscal year that starts on
October 1, 2027, shall be subject to an annual appropriation
in the Education Trust Fund Appropriation Act which shall not
exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000). This provision does
not affect the availability of scholarships from funds
provided on hand prior to October 1, 2027.
(2) The annual appropriation provided in subdivision
(1) shall cease when monies received to the credit of the
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(1) shall cease when monies received to the credit of the
Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Fund in
the preceding fiscal year pursuant to Section 2 are no less
than ten million dollars ($10,000,000).
(c) The commission may accept additional funding for
the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship
Program from public and private sources, including
appropriations, loans, federal gifts, grants, corporate
sponsorships, and individual donations.
Section 2. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 32-6-64,
32-6-67, and 32-6-68, Code of Alabama 1975, upon application
to the judge of probate or license commissioner, compliance
with motor vehicle registration and licensing laws, payment of
regular fees required by law for license plates for private
passenger or pleasure motor vehicles or motorcycles, and
payment of an additional annual fee of fifty dollars ($50),
owners of motor vehicles or motorcycles who are residents of
Alabama, upon request, shall be issued a blackout license
plate.
(b) The additional blackout license plate fee shall be
distributed in the following manner:
(1) Two and one-half percent commission, provided by
Section 40-12-269(a)(1), Code of Alabama 1975.
(2) Manufacturing costs of one dollar and fifty cents
($1.50) to the Department of Corrections.
(3) Administrative costs of one dollar ($1) to the
Department of Revenue.
(4) The remainder of the additional fee shall be
deposited into the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
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deposited into the Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family
Scholarship Fund.
(c) The Commissioner of Revenue shall prescribe a
suitable plate design that includes a black background with
white text.
(d) The blackout plates shall be issued, printed, and
processed like other plates provided for by law, may be
personalized, and shall be furnished for the licensing year
commencing January 1, 2027.
(e) The Department of Revenue may adopt any rules
necessary to administer this section.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 26-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 07-Apr-26 Amended and Passed
House 07-Apr-26 Concurred in Senate
Amendment
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