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Missouri bill modifies higher education tuition awards and line-of-duty compensation benefits for first responders
Original title: EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Last action · April 1, 2026: Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)Sponsor: Mark Matthiesen
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
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What This Bill Would Do
This legislation establishes tuition award guidelines and line-of-duty compensation provisions for eligible public safety personnel and their legal dependents. It creates dedicated state funds for recruitment and retention tuition awards and line-of-duty compensation, and sets application timelines and eligibility requirements for public higher education institutions.
Why it matters
Eligible public safety personnel with at least six years of service, and their legal dependents with at least ten years of service, can receive up to one hundred percent tuition coverage for designated degree programs at public and participating private institutions of higher education, subject to legislative .
Background
- The General Assembly is the primary legislative body of the state of Missouri. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Public safety personnel
Qualified first responders gain eligibility for tuition awards for higher education and line-of-duty compensation benefits.
Directly affected
Legal dependents of public safety personnel
Dependents of qualifying personnel become eligible for tuition awards for associate or baccalaureate degree programs.
Directly affected
Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development
The department is tasked with administering tuition awards, processing applications, and promulgating implementing rules.
Key Facts
- Public safety personnel with at least six years of service are entitled to tuition awards worth up to 100 percent of resident tuition charges at an institution of higher education, subject to appropriation.
- Legal dependents of public safety personnel with at least ten years of service are entitled to a tuition award worth up to 100 percent of resident tuition charges for an associate or baccalaureate degree program.
- Tuition award eligibility lasts for up to five consecutive years or until the recipient achieves 120 credit hours, whichever occurs first.
- The Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund is created in the state treasury to be used solely by the department of higher education and workforce development for granting tuition awards.
Show all 9 facts
- Applicants for a tuition award must submit their applications to the department no later than February first annually.
- The Line of Duty Compensation Act provides a compensation amount of one hundred thousand dollars, subject to appropriation, for the death of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty on or after June 19, 2009.
- Claims for line-of-duty compensation must be filed with the division of workers' compensation not later than two years from the date of death of a public safety officer.
- The Line of Duty Compensation Fund is created in the state treasury to be used solely upon appropriation for paying death claims.
- The section establishing the Line of Duty Compensation Act is removed from being subject to the provisions of the Missouri sunset act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the public safety personnel tuition award?
Public safety personnel with at least six years of service who possess a valid professional license or certificate, meet admission requirements, have not earned a baccalaureate degree, pursue studies in eligible academic subjects, and comply with financial aid filing and residency verification requirements are eligible, subject to .
What happens to a dependent's tuition award eligibility if a public safety officer dies in the line of duty?
The death of public safety personnel in the which occurs after submission of an application for a tuition award does not disqualify their otherwise eligible legal dependent from receiving the tuition award.
What is the compensation amount for a public safety officer killed in the line of duty?
The amount of compensation paid to the claimant is one hundred thousand dollars, subject to , for deaths occurring on or after June 19, 2009.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
8 actions- Apr 1, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Rules - Administrative(H)
- Mar 25, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Reported Do Pass (H)
- Mar 24, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Voted Do Pass (H)
- Mar 24, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Mar 10, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Feb 24, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Crime and Public Safety(H)
Show 2 earlier actions
- Feb 19, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Feb 18, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced and Read First Time (H)
Version history & redline
2 versions on fileComparing Introduced → House Committee Substitute
removed addedOfficial text
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE removed: BILL NO. 3332
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MATTHIESEN.
4133H.02I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 173.2655, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to
public safety personnel recruitment and retention.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 173.2655, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu
2 thereof, to be known as section 173.2655, to read as follows:
173.2655. 1. This section and section 173.2660 shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act".
3 2. For purposes of this section and section 173.2660, unless the context clearly
4 indicates otherwise, the following terms mean:
5 (1) "Advanced emergency medical technician", as such term is defined in section
6 190.100;
7 (2) "Department", the department of higher education and workforce development;
8 (3) "Emergency medical technician", as such term is defined in section 190.100;
9 (4) "Firefighter", any officer or employee of a fire department who is employed for
10 the purpose of fighting fires, excluding volunteer firefighters and anyone employed in a
11 clerical or other capacity not involving fire-fighting duties;
12 (5) "Institution of higher education", a public community college, state college, or
13 state university located in Missouri; or an approved private institution, as such term is defined
14 in section 173.1102, that chooses to accept any tuition award money pursuant to subdivision
15 (2) of subsection 7 of this section; or an emergency medical services training entity accredited
16 or certified by the Missouri department of health and senior services pursuant to the
17 provisions of section 190.131;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 (6) "Legal dependent", as such term is defined by the United States Department of
19 Education for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid;
20 (7) "Line of duty", any action that public safety personnel is authorized or obligated
21 by law, rule, or regulation to perform, related to or as a condition of employment or service;
22 (8) "Open seat", a vacant position in a class, course, or program that is available for
23 enrollment, and which may become available when a student drops out or transfers, or when a
24 class, course, or program has unused capacity, allowing new students to register or enroll;
25 (9) "Paramedic", as such term is defined in section 190.100;
26 (10) "Police officer", any person who, by virtue of office or public employment, is
27 vested by law with the power and duty to make arrests for violation of the laws of the state of
28 Missouri or ordinances of any municipality thereof, while acting within the scope of his or her
29 authority as an employee of a public law enforcement agency, as such term is defined in
30 section 590.1040;
31 (11) "Public safety personnel", includes any police officer, firefighter, paramedic, air
32 ambulance pilot, air ambulance paramedic or nurse, telecommunicator first responder,
33 emergency medical technician, or advanced emergency medical technician who is trained and
34 authorized by law or rule to render emergency medical assistance or treatment;
35 (12) "Telecommunicator first responder", as such term is defined in section 650.320;
36 (13) "Tuition", the charges and cost of tuition as set by the governing body of an
37 institution of higher education, including fees such as course fees, activity fees, technology
38 fees, and mandatory fees charged by such institution to all full-time students as a condition of
39 enrollment, but excluding the costs of room, board, books, and any other educational
40 materials, equipment, or supplies.
41 3. Subject to appropriation, public safety personnel with at least six years of service
42 shall be entitled to an award worth up to one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of
43 an institution of higher education if the individual:
44 (1) Possesses one of the following:
45 (a) A current, valid license issued by the department of health and senior services
46 authorizing such person to serve as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency
47 medical technician, or paramedic;
48 (b) A current, valid license issued by the peace officer standards and training
49 commission authorizing such person to serve as a peace officer pursuant to the provisions of
50 chapter 590;
51 (c) A current, valid certificate issued by the division of fire safety [authorizing such
52 person to serve as a firefighter]; or
53 (d) A current, valid certificate confirming successful completion of any ongoing
54 training requirements pursuant to section 650.340; and
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55 (e) For all public safety personnel, a certificate of verification signed by the
56 individual's supervisor or employer verifying that such individual is currently employed full-
57 time as public safety personnel and trained and authorized by law or rule to render emergency
58 medical assistance or treatment;
59 (2) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education;
60 (3) Has not already earned a baccalaureate degree;
61 (4) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity
62 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or
63 baccalaureate degree in one of the following academic subject areas:
64 (a) For police officers, eligible subjects include forensic science, fisheries and
65 wildlife, political science, psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, global
66 studies, Spanish, journalism, advertising, public relations, nutrition and health sciences,
67 communication sciences and disorders, [and] criminal justice, general business, economics,
68 accounting, marketing, finance, human resources management, information systems,
69 and supply chain management and logistics;
70 (b) For firefighters, paramedics, air ambulance pilots, air ambulance paramedics
71 or nurses, emergency medical technicians, and advanced emergency medical technicians,
72 eligible subjects include biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition and health
73 sciences, communication sciences and disorders, Spanish, advertising, public relations,
74 paramedicine, fire science, fire technology, fire administration, fire management,
75 communications, homeland security, emergency management, disaster management, [and]
76 crisis management, general business, economics, accounting, marketing, finance, human
77 resources management, information systems, and supply chain management and
78 logistics; and
79 (c) For telecommunicator first responders, eligible subjects include any subject
80 specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision;
81 (5) Submits verification of the professional license or certificate and the certificate of
82 verification required by subdivision (1) of this subsection to the department, in a form and
83 manner as prescribed by the department;
84 (6) Files with the department documentation showing proof of employment as public
85 safety personnel and proof of residence in Missouri each year such individual or such
86 individual's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition award;
87 (7) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before
88 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department
89 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for
90 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.; and
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91 (8) Submits a document to the department confirming that the public safety personnel
92 has satisfied the provisions of subdivision (7) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and
93 manner as prescribed by the department.
94 4. Public safety personnel may receive the tuition award pursuant to subsection 3 of
95 this section for up to five years if they otherwise continue to be eligible for the tuition award.
96 The five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the individual applies for and receives
97 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such individual for the next five
98 consecutive years or the individual's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours,
99 whichever occurs first.
100 5. Subject to appropriation, a legal dependent of public safety personnel with at least
101 ten years of service shall be entitled to a tuition award worth up to one hundred percent of the
102 resident tuition charges of an institution of higher education for an associate or baccalaureate
103 degree program if such public safety personnel satisfies the provisions of subdivisions (1),
104 (5), and (6) of subsection 3 of this section and the legal dependent:
105 (1) Executes an agreement with the department in accordance with the provisions of
106 section 173.2660;
107 (2) Has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree;
108 (3) Meets all admission requirements of the institution of higher education;
109 (4) First applies for all other forms of federal and state student financial aid before
110 applying for a tuition award, including, but not limited to, filing the United States Department
111 of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid and, if applicable, applying for
112 financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq.;
113 (5) Submits a document to the department confirming that the legal dependent has
114 satisfied subdivision (4) of this subsection, to be submitted in a form and manner as
115 prescribed by the department;
116 (6) Submits the verification required pursuant to subsection 8 of this section to the
117 department; and
118 (7) Pursues studies leading to a license or certification issued by a training entity
119 accredited or certified pursuant to the provisions of section 190.131, an associate degree or
120 baccalaureate degree in any one of the subject areas specified in [paragraphs (a) to (c) of]
121 subdivision (4) of subsection 3 of this section.
122 6. A legal dependent may receive the tuition award for up to five years if the public
123 safety personnel and the legal dependent continue to be eligible for such tuition award. The
124 five years of tuition award eligibility starts once the legal dependent applies for and receives
125 the tuition award for the first time and is available to such legal dependent for the next five
126 consecutive years or the legal dependent's achievement of one hundred twenty credit hours,
127 whichever occurs first.
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128 7. The tuition award shall be worth:
129 (1) Up to one hundred percent of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's
130 tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state
131 scholarships and grants for the eligible public safety personnel or legal dependent during the
132 time the public safety personnel or legal dependent is enrolled. To remain eligible, the public
133 safety personnel or legal dependent shall comply with all requirements of the institution for
134 continued attendance and award of an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree; or
135 (2) In the case of tuition at an approved private institution, up to one hundred percent
136 of the public safety personnel's or the legal dependent's tuition remaining due after subtracting
137 awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants for the eligible public
138 safety personnel or legal dependent during the time the public safety personnel or legal
139 dependent is enrolled, up to a maximum amount that is equal to the total cost of tuition and
140 mandatory fees charged to a Missouri resident at the public community college, state college,
141 or state university with the highest combined tuition and mandatory fee cost in the state at the
142 time a tuition grant is awarded, as determined by the department. A private institution that
143 chooses to accept as a tuition payment any tuition award money pursuant to this subdivision
144 shall not charge the recipient of the tuition award any tuition that exceeds the maximum
145 combined tuition and mandatory fee cost as determined by the department prior to the
146 application of the tuition award.
147 8. (1) An application for a tuition award shall include a verification of the public
148 safety personnel's satisfaction of the requirements of subdivisions (1), (5), and (6) of
149 subsection 3 of this section. The public safety personnel shall include such verification when
150 he or she or his or her legal dependent is applying to the department for a tuition waiver.
151 (2) The death of public safety personnel in the line of duty which occurs after
152 submission of an application for a tuition award shall not disqualify such individual's
153 otherwise eligible legal dependent from receiving the tuition award. In such case, in lieu of
154 submitting the certificate of verification provided for in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the
155 legal dependent shall submit a statement attesting that:
156 (a) At the time of death, such public safety personnel satisfied the requirements of
157 subdivision (1) of this subsection; and
158 (b) Such public safety personnel died in the line of duty.
159 9. The department shall provide a tuition award to public safety personnel and legal
160 dependents who satisfy the provisions of this section and section 173.2660, if applicable, and
161 apply for an open seat at an institution of higher education, but shall not provide a tuition
162 award if doing so would require the institution to create additional seats exceeding class,
163 course, or program capacity.
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164 10. All applicants for a tuition award shall submit their applications to the department
165 no later than [December fifteenth] February first annually. No later than [March] May first
166 annually, the department shall send written notice of the applicant's eligibility or ineligibility
167 for the tuition award and state whether the application has been approved or denied. If the
168 applicant is determined not to be eligible for the tuition award, the notice shall include the
169 reason or reasons for such determination. If the application is denied, the notice shall include
170 the reason or reasons for the denial.
171 11. The department shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section
172 and section 173.2660. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010,
173 that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it
174 complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section
175 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with
176 the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to
177 disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of
178 rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid
179 and void.
180 12. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Public Safety Recruitment
181 and Retention Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly or
182 any gifts, donations, or bequests for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this
183 section and section 173.2660. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In
184 accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements.
185 The fund shall be a dedicated fund and money in the fund shall be used solely by the
186 department of higher education and workforce development for the purpose of granting
187 tuition awards as provided in this section and section 173.2660.
188 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys
189 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general
190 revenue fund.
191 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other
192 funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to
193 the fund.
194 13. In any year in which moneys in the public safety recruitment and retention fund
195 are insufficient to fully fund tuition awards for all eligible applicants, tuition awards shall be
196 awarded in the following order of priority; provided that, in the event of a tie in eligibility,
197 available funds shall be distributed on a pro rata basis:
198 (1) Priority class one shall include public safety personnel, in the following order:
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199 (a) Public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially in counties or
200 cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined by the most
201 recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and
202 (b) Public safety personnel with the most years of service; and
203 (2) Priority class two shall include dependents of public safety personnel, in the
204 following order:
205 (a) Dependents of public safety personnel in departments located wholly or partially
206 in counties or cities not within a county with the highest crime rate per capita, as determined
207 by the most recent uniform crime reporting statistics from the Federal Bureau of
208 Investigation; and
209 (b) Dependents of public safety personnel with the most years of service.
210 14. The tuition awards provided for in this section and section 173.2660 are subject to
211 appropriation. If there are no moneys in the fund established in subsection 12 of this section,
212 no tuition awards shall be granted.
✔
HB 3332 7added: COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 3332
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
4133H.04C JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 173.2655 and 287.243, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new
sections relating to employment benefits for first responders.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 173.2655 and 287.243, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections
2 enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 173.2655 and 287.243, to read as follows:
173.2655. 1. This section and section 173.2660 shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act".
3 2. For purposes of this section and section 173.2660, unless the context clearly
4 indicates otherwise, the following terms mean:
5 (1) "Advanced emergency medical technician", as such term is defined in section
6 190.100;
7 (2) "Department", the department of higher education and workforce development;
8 (3) "Emergency medical technician", as such term is defined in section 190.100;
9 (4) "Firefighter", any officer or employee of a fire department who is employed for
10 the purpose of fighting fires, excluding volunteer firefighters and anyone employed in a
11 clerical or other capacity not involving fire-fighting duties;
12 (5) "Institution of higher education", a public community college, state college, or
13 state university located in Missouri; or an approved private institution, as such term is defined
14 in section 173.1102, that chooses to accept any tuition award money pursuant to subdivision
15 (2) of subsection 7 of this section; or an emergency medical services training entity accredited
16 or certified by the Missouri department of health and senior services pursuant to the
17 provisions of section 190.131;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 (6) 29,015 more added characters - read this version
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift99% confidence
Removal of Sunset Provisions
The bill explicitly removes the Line of Duty Compensation Act from being subject to the Missouri sunset act under sections 23.250 to 23.298.
Connected Entities
OrganizationDivision of Workers' Compensation“State division receiving and investigating line-of-duty compensation claims”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Health and Senior Services“State department licensing emergency medical personnel”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Higher Education and Workforce Development“State department administering tuition awards and rulemaking”Map →
OrganizationLine of Duty Compensation Fund“Dedicated state treasury fund for line-of-duty claims”Map →
OrganizationPublic Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund“Dedicated state treasury fund for tuition awards”Map →
Sources
Open source document
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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