Bill
HB 3480
Expands tuition aid to include volunteer public safety personnel and their dependents, funding up to 100% resident tuition after other aid, for up to five years.
HB 3480 (Missouri) – Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act
Session: 2026 | Sponsor: Rep. Boggs
Overview
- What it does: Expands and updates the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act to include volunteer firefighters in the program and adjusts eligibility verification and funding mechanisms for tuition awards provided to public safety personnel and their legal dependents.
- Core goal: Provide tuition assistance (up to 100% of resident tuition and mandatory fees) to qualifying public safety personnel and their dependents pursuing higher education in approved fields, funded through a dedicated state fund.
Key Provisions
1) Definition and eligibility changes
- Broadens “firefighter” to include volunteer firefighters (removing a prior exclusion).
- Creates a framework for volunteer firefighters to qualify for the tuition award, subject to program rules and funding.
2) Tuition award program parameters
- Eligible recipients:
- Public safety personnel with at least six years of service.
- Legal dependents of public safety personnel with at least ten years of service.
- Eligible institutions: Public MO postsecondary institutions (community colleges, state colleges/universities) and approved private institutions that elect to participate under the program.
- Covered programs: Associate or baccalaureate degrees, and study areas aligned with public safety fields (e.g., biology, chemistry, criminology, fire science, emergency management, homeland security, etc.).
- Licenses/certifications required: Current, valid credentials relevant to the public safety role (EMT/paramedic, peace officer, firefighter, or related training verification).
- Financial aid sequencing: Recipients must apply for all other federal/state aid before receiving the tuition award, and provide verification of such efforts.
3) Award details
- Amount: Up to 100% of resident tuition and mandatory fees remaining after applying federal aid and state scholarships/grants.
- Private institutions: If choosing to participate, awards cannot exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees charged to a Missouri resident at the public institution with the highest cost, and private providers must not exceed that maximum.
- Duration: Awards available for up to five years or until 120 credit hours are earned, whichever occurs first.
- Dependents: Legal dependents of eligible personnel may receive up to 100% of tuition for up to five years, following a similar process and eligibility criteria.
- Verification and annual renewal: Requires annual verification of employment/volunteer status, residence in Missouri, and continued eligibility; applicants must re-verify before each year of aid.
4) Administrative structure and funding
- Establishes the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund in the state treasury to fund awards, governed by the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD).
- Funded by appropriations, gifts, and bequests; money remaining at end of a biennium does not revert to the general revenue fund.
- DHEWD may administer operating costs (including 1 FTE) to manage awards and process applications.
5) Application timing and notice
- Applications due by December 15 each year.
- By March 1 annually, the department issues eligibility notices and reasons for denial if applicable.
6) Rules and legal framework
- DHEWD will promulgate implementing rules for the section and for related provisions in 173.2660.
- Rules and program operations are subject to the state’s 536 series rulemaking requirements; the act highlights nonseverability considerations if rulemaking provisions are challenged.
7) Priority and funding limitations
- If funds are insufficient, awards are prioritized:
- Priority Class One: Public safety personnel, with precedence to those in higher-crime-rate areas and those with more years of service.
- Priority Class Two: Dependents of public safety personnel, with similar geographic and service-based prioritization.
- If funds are unavailable, no awards are granted.
Estimated fiscal impact (per fiscal note)
- General Revenue impact: Potential net cost beginning in FY 2027, with varying amounts thereafter (range estimates show costs from about $0 to several million annually, depending on participation and utilization rates).
- Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Fund: Transfers in/out to support awards; the fund is dedicated and pausing or expanding participation affects transfer levels.
- FTE: Approximately 1 FTE in DHEWD starting in FY 2027, expected to continue.
- Overall: The bill projects a notable cost trajectory as participation increases, with an assumed inflationary and participation growth scenario.
Effective date and status
- Referred to Crime and Public Safety (H) on April 7, 2026.
- The bill would repeal and replace the current section 173.2655 with the revised structure and definitions.
Who is affected
- Public safety personnel (including volunteers) with at least six years of service.
- Legal dependents of such personnel (with at least ten years of service).
- Missouri public and approved private colleges and universities participating in the program.
- Local and state agencies that employ public safety personnel (indirectly, through potential shifts in workforce recruitment/retention).
Notes
- The fiscal note indicates a potentially meaningful cost over multiple years, contingent on appropriation levels and participation rates.
- The act emphasizes ensuring students first pursue other aid before the tuition award and imposes verification requirements to maintain eligibility.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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