Bill
HB 3439
Expands tuition-assistance to include volunteer firefighters and dependents, funding them through a dedicated Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund.
HB 3439 Summary — Missouri, 2026 Session
Purpose
- Modifies the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act to include volunteer firefighters in the eligibility scope for a tuition-assistance program for public safety personnel and their legal dependents.
- Establishes a dedicated Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund to finance awards, with rules for appropriation and administration by the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD).
Key Provisions and Changes
- Expanded Eligibility:
- Adds volunteer firefighters (currently on the rolls of a fire department for firefighting) to the definition of firefighter eligible for tuition awards.
- Public safety personnel with at least six years of service remain eligible if they hold qualifying licenses/certificates (EMT, paramedic, peace officer, firefighter, or relevant training completion) and meet program qualifications.
- Tuition Awards:
- Awards may cover up to 100% of resident tuition charges after subtracting federal financial aid and state scholarships/grants.
- For approved private institutions, awards cover up to the lesser of the remaining tuition/fees or the maximum resident tuition and mandatory fees charged to a Missouri resident at the highest-cost state public institution, with the private school prohibited from charging more than that cap.
- Awards applicable to associate or baccalaureate degree programs in specified fields (see detailed subject lists for police, firefighters/EMTs, and telecommunicator-first responders).
- Enrollment and Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicants must meet admission requirements, not already hold a baccalaureate degree, pursue eligible degree/credential programs, submit verification of licensure/certification, and provide proof of employment or volunteer status and Missouri residence.
- Must apply for other federal/state aid first (e.g., FAFSA) and verify compliance with multiple documentation requirements.
- Duration:
- Tuition awards available for up to five years per person (or until 120 credit hours are earned), starting from the first time the award is received.
- Dependents:
- Legal dependents of public safety personnel with at least ten years of service may also receive up to 100% of resident tuition for eligible degree programs, under similar conditions and with an agreement requirement (section 173.2660).
- Dependent awards share the same five-year limit and credit-hour cap as the personnel awards.
- Funding Mechanism:
- Creation of the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund in the state treasury.
- The fund is dedicated to funding tuition awards and is subject to appropriation; any unspent funds do not revert to general revenue.
- Investment of fund assets with interest credited to the fund.
- Funding Allocation and Priority (when funds are insufficient):
- If funds are not enough to cover all eligible applicants, awards are prioritized:
- Priority Class One: public safety personnel (ordered by location with highest crime rate per capita and by years of service).
- Priority Class Two: dependents (same location/years-of-service criteria).
- Tie-breaking: pro rata distribution based on available funds.
- Administrative and Rulemaking:
- DHEWD to promulgate rules implementing the section and the related 173.2660 provisions.
- Rulemaking is subject to Missouri’s Rulemaking and Administrative Procedure requirements; the act emphasizes nonseverability of rulemaking provisions if constitutional issues arise.
- Application Timeline:
- Applications due by December 15 annually.
- By March 1 annually, the department issues eligibility determinations and reasons for any denials.
- Mortality Provision:
- If a public safety employee dies in the line of duty after an application is submitted, a dependent’s eligibility is preserved; the dependent may provide a declaration in lieu of certain verification documents.
- Open Seats Constraint:
- Awards cannot cause the host institution to create additional seats beyond current capacity; awards are contingent on open seats.
Who Is Affected
- Public safety personnel in Missouri (police, firefighters—including volunteer firefighters on active firefighting rolls, EMTs, advanced EMTs, paramedics, telecommunicator first responders) who meet service and licensure requirements.
- Legal dependents of eligible public safety personnel with at least ten years of service.
- Missouri public postsecondary institutions (public community colleges, state colleges/universities, and approved private institutions choosing to participate).
Timeline and Administrative Details
- Funding and implementation subject to annual appropriation.
- Application window each year ends December 15; eligibility notices sent by March 1.
- Five-year duration for awards (or 120 credit hours, whichever comes first).
- Dedicated fund created in the state treasury; management and disbursement by the DHEWD; investments and interest credited to the fund.
Fiscal Impact (Summary)
- Net effect on General Revenue: potential negative impact starting FY 2027 (approximately -$95,421), with larger estimated impact in subsequent years ($3.8 million in FY 2028 and ~$4.28 million in FY 2029) depending on participation and inflation assumptions.
- Transfer in/out to the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund (1467) aligns with these award disbursements.
- DHEWD would add 1 FTE to process applications and administer awards.
- The Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund would incur corresponding grant disbursements when funds are available.
Notes
- The bill includes a detailed set of eligibility criteria, subject-area alignments for degrees, and dependent qualification rules.
- It specifies non-severable rulemaking and outlines priorities in funding when resources are limited.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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