PRINTER'S NO. 177
No. 132 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, ORIE, TOMLINSON, MUSTO, WAUGH, O'PAKE, COSTA, BOSCOLA, RAFFERTY, PUNT, WONDERLING, STOUT, FONTANA, KASUNIC, WASHINGTON, BROWNE, REGOLA, FOLMER, KITCHEN, LOGAN AND FERLO, MARCH 5, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 5, 2007
AN ACT 1 Establishing a tuition credit program for certain members of 2 volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance services and 3 volunteer rescue squads and their dependent children and 4 spouses. 5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 6 hereby enacts as follows: 7 Section 1. Short title. 8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Volunteer 9 Emergency Service Tuition Credit Program Act. 10 Section 2. Definitions. 11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 13 context clearly indicates otherwise: 14 "Community college." A public college or technical institute 15 which is established and operated under Article XIX-A of the act 16 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School 17 Code of 1949, and all branches or campuses of a community 18 college.
1 "Firefighter." A member of a volunteer fire company. 2 "State Fire Commissioner" or "commissioner." The 3 Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner appointed under section 3 4 of the act of November 13, 1995 (P.L.604, No.61), known as the 5 State Fire Commissioner Act. 6 "Volunteer." A firefighter or member of a volunteer 7 ambulance service or volunteer rescue squad. 8 "Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered 9 corporation, association or organization located in this 10 Commonwealth and regularly engaged in the service of providing 11 emergency medical care and transportation of patients. 12 "Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation, 13 association or organization located in this Commonwealth that 14 provides fire protection services and may offer other voluntary 15 emergency services within this Commonwealth. Voluntary emergency 16 services may include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue 17 services. 18 "Volunteer rescue squad." Any nonprofit chartered 19 corporation, association or organization located in this 20 Commonwealth which provides rescue services in this 21 Commonwealth. 22 Section 3. Tuition credit program. 23 (a) General.--A person who is an active member of a 24 volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance service or volunteer 25 rescue squad in good standing and the dependent children and 26 spouse of such volunteer shall be eligible to enroll in 27 postsecondary courses on a tuition-credit basis in a community 28 college. 29 (b) Amount.--A volunteer and the volunteer's dependent 30 children and spouse shall be eligible to receive tuition credit 20070S0132B0177 - 2 -
1 in the aggregate amount of $600 per year, not to exceed an 2 aggregate maximum of $2,400 over a four-year service period. 3 (c) Availability.--The tuition credit may be utilized for a 4 course offered by the community college provided that available 5 classroom space permits and that tuition-paying students 6 constitute the minimum number required for the course. 7 (d) Fees.--Nothing in this act shall be construed to 8 prohibit a community college from requiring registration and lab 9 fees for individuals attending courses under this act. 10 Section 4. Eligibility. 11 In order for a volunteer or a volunteer's dependent child or 12 spouse to be eligible to receive tuition credit, the volunteer 13 shall agree to serve as a member of a volunteer fire company, 14 volunteer ambulance service or volunteer rescue squad for a 15 minimum of four years and sign an agreement with the volunteer 16 organization pledging four years of service in exchange for the 17 tuition credit. Following each year of active volunteer 18 services, the volunteer organization shall provide the State 19 Fire Commissioner with a letter verifying that the volunteer has 20 been a member in good standing for the past 12 months. 21 Section 5. Verification of service. 22 Upon being accepted and enrolled in a community college, the 23 volunteer, dependent child or spouse shall provide the community 24 college with a sworn or official statement of fact by the 25 commissioner attesting that the volunteer has performed the 26 service required for the tuition credit. Upon completion of each 27 semester, the volunteer shall submit a transcript to the 28 commissioner to be maintained in a permanent record. The 29 volunteer, dependent child or spouse shall maintain a "C" grade 30 average in order to continue eligibility for the tuition credit 20070S0132B0177 - 3 -
1 program. 2 Section 6. Issuance of certificate of authorization. 3 The commissioner shall issue a certificate of authorization 4 to the volunteer, dependent child or spouse to be presented to 5 the community college, stating that the volunteer, parent or 6 spouse is a member in good standing of a volunteer fire company, 7 volunteer ambulance service or volunteer rescue squad. 8 Section 7. State Fire Commissioner duties. 9 The Office of the State Fire Commissioner shall develop such 10 procedures and forms as it deems necessary to carry out the 11 provisions of this act. 12 Section 8. Effective date. 13 This act shall take effect in 30 days. L8L24DMS/20070S0132B0177 - 4 -