PRINTER'S NO. 1230
No. 1056 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY CLYMER, ARMSTRONG, BARD, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES,
BELARDI, BELFANTI, BROWNE, BUNT, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CIVERA,
COSTA, COY, DALEY, DALLY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, FLEAGLE, FREEMAN,
GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GILLESPIE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI,
HASAY, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HUTCHINSON, JAMES,
LAUGHLIN, LEACH, LEH, LEVDANSKY, LYNCH, MARSICO, McCALL,
McILHATTAN, MELIO, S. MILLER, O'NEILL, PETRARCA, PISTELLA,
PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROBERTS, SAINATO,
SATHER, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, R. STEVENSON,
TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRUE, WALKO, WANSACZ,
WATSON, WILT, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK,
APRIL 2, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 2, 2003
AN ACT
1 Authorizing members of emergency service organizations and
2 certain family members to receive tuition credit for
3 Pennsylvania community colleges.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency
8 Service Organization Tuition Credit Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Community college." An institution that operates under
1 Article XIX-A of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
2 known as the Public School Code of 1949.
3 "Emergency service organization." A volunteer fire company,
4 volunteer ambulance service or volunteer rescue squad in this
5 Commonwealth.
6 "Family member." The spouse and any child of a member of an
7 emergency service organization.
8 "Municipality." A city, township, borough or incorporated
9 town served by an emergency service organization.
10 "Tuition." The total of all fees and charges required for
11 attendance at a community college. The term does not include
12 required registration or laboratory fees.
13 Section 3. Tuition credits authorized.
14 Each community college shall provide tuition credits to
15 persons who are eligible for tuition credits under this act,
16 provided that available classroom space permits the enrollment
17 of those persons in the courses of instruction and that students
18 who pay tuition constitute the minimum number of students for
19 the courses.
20 Section 4. Eligibility.
21 (a) General rule.--Except as provided under subsection (b),
22 in order to be eligible to receive tuition credit under this
23 act, a person must:
24 (1) Be a resident of this Commonwealth.
25 (2) Be a member in good standing of an emergency service
26 organization.
27 (3) Execute an agreement with the municipality served by
28 the emergency service organization stating that the person
29 agrees to be a member in good standing of an emergency
30 service organization in exchange for tuition credit under
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1 this act.
2 (4) Maintains a grade point average of at least 2.0 for
3 courses of instruction completed at the community college.
4 (5) Is in compliance with the agreement entered into
5 with the municipality during the period in which the person
6 is enrolled at the community college.
7 (b) Family members.--Family members of a person who
8 satisfies the eligibility requirements under subsection (a)
9 shall be eligible to receive tuition credit under this act,
10 provided that the family members:
11 (1) Are residents of this Commonwealth.
12 (2) Maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0 for
13 courses of instruction completed at the community college.
14 (3) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the community
15 college that the person who executed the agreement with the
16 municipality is in compliance therewith.
17 Section 5. Amount of tuition credit.
18 A person and the family members of that person who satisfy
19 the eligibility requirements of section 4 shall, for each year
20 of service provided by the person to the emergency service
21 organization as set forth in the agreement with the
22 municipality, receive tuition credit in an amount not to exceed,
23 in the aggregate for the family, $600 annually for a four-year
24 period. No person, including the family members of that person,
25 shall receive tuition credit in excess of $2,400 in the
26 aggregate for the family under this act.
27 Section 6. Letter of eligibility.
28 A municipality that enters into an agreement with an eligible
29 person under section 4 shall, at the request of the person or
30 family member of that person who attends a community college and
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1 seeks to receive tuition credits under this act, provide a
2 letter of eligibility acceptable to the community college
3 stating whether the person is in compliance with the agreement.
4 Section 7. Procedure for receipt of tuition credit from
5 community college.
6 After acceptance and enrollment at a community college, the
7 person or family member eligible to receive tuition credit under
8 this act shall provide the letter of eligibility as described in
9 section 6 to the community college. The person or family member
10 shall also provide other documentation as required by the
11 community college to determine eligibility for tuition credit
12 under this act.
13 Section 8. Regulations.
14 The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, in
15 consultation with the community colleges, shall promulgate rules
16 and regulations necessary to administer this act.
17 Section 9. Construction.
18 Nothing in this act or in any agreement entered into between
19 a person and a municipality under this act shall be construed as
20 a promise or guarantee by the Commonwealth, municipality or the
21 community college that the person or any family member of that
22 person will be admitted to the community college, will be
23 allowed to continue to attend the community college after having
24 been admitted or will be graduated from the community college.
25 Section 10. Effective date.
26 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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