TUITION WAIVERS FOR FAMILY OF ARMED SVS

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HOUSE BILL NO. 88

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID

Introduced: 2/10/25
Referred: Education, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to tuition waivers for spouses and dependents of certain peace officers, 1
firefighters, and members of the armed services; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.43.085(a) is amended to read: 4
(a) A person enrolled as a student in good standing in a state-supported 5
[STATE SUPPORTED] educational institution in this state is enti tled to a waiver of 6
undergraduate tuition and fees if 7
(1) the person was the spouse or dependent child of a bona fide 8
resident of the state who was 9
(A) [(1)] a member of the armed services and who died in the 10
line of duty or who died as a result of injuries sustained whil e in the line of 11
duty for the state or federal government or who was listed by t he United States 12
Department of Defense as a prisoner of war or as missing in action; or 13
(B) [(2)] a peace officer or a member of a fire department who 14
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HB 88 -2- HB0088a
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died from an act arising out of and in the course of 1
(i) [(A)] employment as a peace officer or a firefighter; 2
or 3
(ii) [(B)] duties as a volunteer firefighter; or 4
(2) the person is the spouse or dependent child of a bona fide 5
resident of the state who 6
(A) was a member of the armed services and received a 7
rating of permanently and totally disabled from the federal government as 8
a result of injuries sustained while in the line of duty for th e federal 9
government; or 10
(B) has been determined under AS 23.30.180 to have a 11
permanent total disability as a result of 12
(i) an act arising out of and in the course of 13
employment as a peace officer or a firefighter; 14
(ii) an act arising out of and in the course of duties 15
as a volunteer firefighter; or 16
(iii) injuries sustained while in the line of duty for 17
the state government while serving as a member of the armed 18
services. 19
* Sec. 2. AS 14.43.085(b)(2) is amended to read: 20
(2) "dependent child" means a person who was a dependent of a peace 21
officer or of a member of the armed services or a fire departme nt at the time of the 22
peace officer's or member's death or at the time of the incident that resulted in the 23
peace officer's or member's permanent total disability, and who is 24
(A) the peace officer's or member's natural or adopted child; 25
(B) a child in relation to whom the deceased or disabled armed 26
services member, firefighter, or peace officer stood in loco pa rentis for at least 27
three years before the peace officer's or member's death or disability; 28
(C) the peace officer's or member's stepchild; or 29
(D) the peace officer's or member's acknowledged illegitimate 30
child; 31
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* Sec. 3. AS 14.43.085(b)(7) is amended to read: 1
(7) "spouse" means a person who was married to a peace officer or to a 2
member of the armed services or a fire department at the time o f the peace officer's or 3
member's death or at the time of the incident that resulted in the peace offic er's or 4
member's permanent total disability. 5
* Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 6
read: 7
APPLICABILITY. A waiver of undergraduate tuition and fees for a person permitted 8
under AS 14.43.085(a), as amended by sec. 1 of this Act, AS 14. 43.085(b)(2), as amended by 9
sec. 2 of this Act, and AS 14.43.085(b)(7), as amended by sec. 3 of this Act, applies to tuition 10
and fees accrued by the person for an academic term beginning o n or after the effective date 11
of this Act. 12
* Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 13