15-1808

15-1808. Tuition waiver for child or spouse of
peace officer, correctional officer, fire fighter, emergency
paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States
armed forces killed in the line of duty; disabled national guard
member; disabled United States armed forces member; definitions

A. The board of regents, after verification by the Arizona peace officers
memorial board, by the Arizona fire fighters and emergency paramedics memorial board, by
the adjutant general of the national guard or by the Arizona department of veterans'
services that a person is a child or a spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer,
fire fighter, emergency paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States
armed forces who was a resident of the state of Arizona or stationed in Arizona and who
was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty
while traveling to or from duty, shall provide the person who qualifies under subsection
B of this section and who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition
waiver scholarship at any university under the jurisdiction of the board. A district as
defined in section 15-1401, after verification by the Arizona peace officers memorial
board, by the Arizona fire fighters and emergency paramedics memorial board, by the
adjutant general of the national guard or by the Arizona department of veterans' services
that a person is the child or the spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, fire
fighter, emergency paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States armed
forces who was a resident of Arizona or stationed in Arizona and who was killed in the
line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while traveling to or
from duty, shall provide the person who qualifies under subsection B of this section and
who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at
any community college under the jurisdiction of the district.

B. The tuition waiver scholarships shall be limited to children who are thirty
years of age or younger or a spouse who has not remarried and shall be limited for a
spouse or for any one child to no more than sixty-four credit hours at Arizona community
colleges and a total number of credits including any transfer credits from an Arizona
community college equal to the number of credits required for a baccalaureate degree at
Arizona universities for that student's initially declared course of study.

C. A member of the Arizona national guard who received a purple heart citation on
or after September 11, 2001 or a former member of the Arizona national guard who was
medically discharged from the Arizona national guard due to an injury or disability
suffered during status under title 10, United States Code, in weekend training status, in
annual training status or in response to a state of emergency declared by the governor is
eligible for a tuition waiver scholarship provided for in this section.

D. The board of regents, after verification by the Arizona department of veterans'
services that a person is a member or former member of the United States armed forces who
received a purple heart citation, who was a resident of the state of Arizona or was
stationed in Arizona at the time of the injury that resulted in the purple heart citation
and whose disability rating determined by the United States department of veterans
affairs is fifty per cent or more, shall provide the person who otherwise meets the
qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any university under
the jurisdiction of the board. A district as defined in section 15-1401, after
verification by the Arizona department of veterans' services that a person is a member or
former member of the United States armed forces who received a purple heart citation, who
was a resident of the state of Arizona or was stationed in Arizona at the time of the
injury that resulted in the purple heart citation and whose disability rating determined
by the United States department of veterans affairs is fifty per cent or more, shall
provide the person who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition
waiver scholarship at any community college under the jurisdiction of the district. A
person who is convicted of a felony is ineligible for a tuition waiver scholarship
provided for in this subsection.

E. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Correctional officer" means a person, other than an elected official, who is
employed by this state or a county, city or town and who is responsible for the
supervision, protection, care, custody or control of inmates in a state, county or
municipal correctional institution, including counselors but excluding secretarial,
clerical and professionally trained personnel.

2. "Emergency paramedic" means a person who has been trained in an emergency
paramedic training program certified by the director of the department of health services
or in an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director of the
department of health services to render services pursuant to section 36-2205.

3. "Fire fighter" means a professional fire fighter who is a member of a state,
federal, tribal, city, county, district or private fire department.

4. "Peace officers" means sheriffs of counties, constables, marshals, police
officers of cities and towns, commissioned personnel of the department of public safety
and police officers appointed by community college district governing boards or the
Arizona board of regents who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer
standards and training board, and other state, federal, tribal, city or county officers
vested by law with a duty to maintain public order and make arrests.