Family Support for Those Who Serve Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1004

Short Title: Family Support for Those Who Serve Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Sawrey, Jones, and Barnes (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S1004-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO EXPAND TUI TION WAIVERS TO THE CHILDREN OF CERTAIN PUBLIC 2
SAFETY EMPLOYEES FOR ENROLLMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY 3
COLLEGES. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115B-1 reads as rewritten: 6
"§ 115B-1. Definitions. 7
The following definitions apply in this Chapter: 8
(1) Correctional officer. – An employee of an employer who is certified as a State 9
correctional officer under the provisions of Article 1 of Chapter 17C of the 10
General Statutes. 11
(1a)(2) Employer. – The State of North Carolina and its departments, agencies, and 12
institutions; or a county, city, town, or other political subdivision of the State. 13
(3) Experienced correctional officer. – A correctional officer with at least 10 years 14
of service as a correctional officer in North Carolina. 15
(2)(4) Firefighter or volunteer firefighter. – The same as provided in G.S. 58-86-25 16
for "eligible firemen". 17
(3)(5) Law enforcement officer. – An employee or volunteer of an employer who 18
possesses the power of arrest, who has taken the law enforcement oath 19
administered under the authority of the State as prescribed by G.S. 11-11, and 20
who is certified as a law enforcement officer under the provisions of Article 1 21
of Chapter 17C of the General Statutes or certifi ed as a deputy sheriff under 22
the provisions of Chapter 17E of the General Statutes. "Law enforcement 23
officer" also means the sheriff of the county. 24
(4)(6) Permanently and totally disabled as a direct result of a traumatic injury 25
sustained in the line of duty. – A person: (i) who as a law enforcement officer, 26
correctional officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker 27
suffered a disabling injury while in active service or training for active service, 28
(ii) who at the time of active service or training was a North Carolina resident, 29
and (iii) who has been determined to be permanently and totally disabled for 30
compensation purposes by the North Carolina Industrial Commission. 31
(5)(7) Rescue squad worker. – The same as provided in G.S. 58-86-30 for "eligible 32
rescue squad worker". 33
(6)(8) Survivor. – Any person whose parent, legal guardian, legal custodian, or 34
spouse: (i) was a law enforcement officer, a correctional officer, a firefighter, 35
a volunteer firefighter, or a rescue squad worker, (ii) was killed while in active 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1004-First Edition
service or training for active service or died as a result of a service-connected 1
disability, and (iii) at the time of active service or training was a North 2
Carolina resident. The term does not include the widow or widower of a l aw 3
enforcement officer, correctional officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or 4
a rescue squad worker if the widow or widower has remarried. 5
(7)(9) Tuition. – The amount charged for registering for a credit hour of instruction 6
and shall not be constru ed to mean any other fees or charges or costs of 7
textbooks." 8
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115B-2 reads as rewritten: 9
"§ 115B-2. Tuition waiver authorized. 10
(a) The constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and the community 11
colleges as defined in G.S. 115D-2(2) shall permit the following persons to attend classes for 12
credit or noncredit purposes without the required payment of tuition: 13
(1) Repealed by Session Laws 2009-451, s. 8.11(a), effective July 1, 2009. 14
(2) Any person who is the survivor of a law enforcement officer, correctional 15
officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker killed as a 16
direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. 17
(3) The spouse of a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, fi refighter, 18
volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker who is permanently and totally 19
disabled as a direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. 20
(4) Any child, if the child is at least 17 years old but not yet 24 years old, whose 21
parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian is a law enforcement officer, 22
correctional officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker 23
who is permanently and totally disabled as a direct result of a traumatic injury 24
sustained in the line o f duty. However, a child's eligibility for a waiver of 25
tuition under this Chapter shall not exceed: (i) 54 months, if the child is 26
seeking a baccalaureate degree, or (ii) if the child is not seeking a 27
baccalaureate degree, the number of months required to complete the 28
educational program to which the child is applying. 29
… 30
(a1) The community colleges, as defined in G.S. 115D-2(2), shall permit any child, if the 31
child is at least 17 years old but not yet 24 years old, whose parent, legal guardian, or legal 32
custodian is a law enforcement officer, experienced correctional officer, or firefighter to attend 33
classes for credit or noncredit purposes without the required payment of tuition. However, a 34
child's eligibility for a waiver of tuition under this Chapter shall not exceed the number of months 35
required to complete the educational program to which the child is applying. 36
(b) Persons eligible for the tuition waiver under subsection (a) waivers under subsections 37
(a) and (a1) of this section must meet admission and other standards considered appropriate by 38
the educational institution. In addition, the constituent institutions of The University of North 39
Carolina shall accept these persons only on a space available basis." 40
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 41
the 2026-2027 academic year. 42