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To: Universities and
Colleges; Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Mumford
SENATE BILL NO. 2604
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER 1
TUITION GRANT FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS; TO AUTHORIZE THE 2
MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID TO ADMINISTER SUCH GRANT 3
PROGRAM; TO DEFINE "VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER"; TO PROVIDE FOR 4
APPROVAL OF SUCH GRANTS; TO STIPULATE USES FOR GRANT MONEY; TO 5
PROVIDE FOR GRANTS AWARDED DUE TO DISHONEST CONDUCT; TO PROVIDE 6
FOR RENEWAL OF ELIGIBILITY; TO CREATE THE VOLUNTEER FIRE 7
DEPARTMENT EQUIPMENT AWARD PROGRAM; TO GRANT THE MISSISSIPPI 8
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT CERTAIN POWERS OVER ADMINISTRATION OF THE 9
PROGRAM; TO LIMIT THE USE OF AWARDS TO CERTAIN PURPOSES; TO 10
PROVIDE FOR AWARDS GRANTED DUE TO DISHONEST CONDUCT; TO PROVIDE 11
FOR RENEWAL OF ELIGIBILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Mississippi 14
Volunteer Firefighter Tuition Grant for community college students 15
to be administered by the Mississippi Office of Financial Aid, 16
hereinafter "the office," which shall set the dates and deadlines 17
for applying for an award under this section. The office shall 18
establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and 19
proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section. 20
(2) "Volunteer firefighter" means a bona fide volunteer 21
firefighter who is registered with the State of Mississippi or a 22
political subdivision thereof and is an active part-time or 23
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on-call member of a volunteer fire department or a volunteer 24
firefighter. "Volunteer firefighter" shall not include full-time 25
firefighters or career firefighters unless such firefighters are 26
also active eligible volunteer firefighters when they are not 27
acting as full-time or career firefighters. 28
(3) The office shall approve grants to a volunteer 29
firefighter who: 30
(a) Is a verified volunteer firefighter as defined in 31
subsection (2); and 32
(b) Has been accepted for enrollment at any community 33
or junior college located in Mississippi. 34
(4) The award shall be applied to tuition, rooms and meals, 35
books, materials and fees not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars 36
($500.00), which be will prorated per term, semester or quarter of 37
the academic year for costs of attendance. 38
(5) By accepting a Mississippi Volunteer Firefighter Tuition 39
Grant, the student is attesting to the accuracy, completeness and 40
correctness of information provided to demonstrate the student's 41
eligibility. Falsification of such information shall result in 42
the denial of any pending grant and revocation of any award 43
currently held to the extent that no further payments shall be 44
made. Any student knowingly making false statements in order to 45
receive a grant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, upon 46
conviction thereof, by a fine of up to Ten Thousand Dollars 47
($10,000.00), a prison sentence of up to one (1) year in the 48
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county jail, or both, and shall be required to return all 49
Mississippi Volunteer Firefighter Grants wrongfully obtained. 50
(6) Eligibility for renewal of Mississippi Volunteer 51
Firefighter Tuition Grants shall be evaluated at the end of each 52
semester, or term, of each academic year. As a condition for 53
renewal, a student shall: 54
(a) Make steady academic progress toward a certificate 55
or degree, as outlined in the school Satisfactory Academic 56
Progress Standards and certified by the institution's registrar; 57
(b) Maintain continuous enrollment until completion of 58
the associate degree or certificate; and 59
(c) Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 60
2.50 calculated on a 4.0 scale at the end of each semester, 61
trimester or term. 62
(7) Each student, each year, must complete a Free 63
Application for Federal Student Aid form or a State of 64
Certification as designed by the administering board to determine 65
his or her eligibility for a Mississippi Volunteer Firefighter 66
Tuition Grant. 67
(8) No student may receive a Mississippi Firefighter Tuition 68
Grant for more than the equivalent semesters or quarters required 69
to complete one (1) certificate or associate degree program per 70
institution. 71
SECTION 2. (1) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature, 72
the Mississippi Insurance Department, hereinafter "MID," shall 73
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establish the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Award Program to 74
assist volunteer fire departments in purchasing and maintaining 75
equipment. Such award shall be open to all Mississippi volunteer 76
fire departments. 77
(2) MID shall have the following powers and duties: 78
(a) Establish a process for volunteer fire departments 79
to apply for awards under this section; 80
(b) Determine the annual award to approved volunteer 81
fire departments; and 82
(c) Promulgate any rules and regulations as necessary 83
to implement the provisions of this section. 84
(3) The award shall be used only for the purchase or 85
maintenance of equipment, including, but not limited to, tanks, 86
pumps, hose, hose reels, hose fittings, nozzles, communication 87
equipment, hand tools and protective items for firefighters. 88
(4) By accepting an award under this section, the volunteer 89
fire department is attesting to the accuracy, completeness and 90
correctness of information provided to demonstrate the 91
department's eligibility. Falsification of such information shall 92
result in the denial of any pending award and revocation of any 93
award currently held to the extent that no further payments shall 94
be made. Any department knowingly making false statements in 95
order to receive an award shall be guilty of a misdemeanor 96
punishable, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of up to Fifty 97
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ST: Volunteer firefighters; create grants for
tuition assistance and purchase and maintenance
of equipment.
Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) and shall be required to return all 98
grants wrongfully obtained. 99
(5) Eligibility for renewal of awards under this section 100
shall be evaluated at the end of each fiscal year. As a condition 101
for renewal, a department shall: 102
(a) Submit a report accounting for use of 103
previously-awarded monies; and 104
(b) Demonstrate a credible need of continued support. 105
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 106
and after July 1, 2026. 107