85-2603.

Law enforcement officer; legal dependent; waiver of tuition; application; certificate of verification; notice of eligibility or ineligibility; contents.

(1)(a) A law enforcement officer shall be entitled to a waiver of one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of any state university, state college, or community college if the officer:

(i) Possesses a law enforcement officer certificate under sections 81-1401 to 81-1414.19, unless the Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council revoked or suspended such certificate or limited certificate under subdivision (6) of section 81-1403 and the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice has reviewed and approved such revocation or suspension;

(ii) Meets all admission requirements of the state university, state college, or community college;

(iii) Pursues studies leading to a degree that relates to a career in law enforcement from an associate degree program or a baccalaureate degree program;

(iv) Submits the certificate of verification required by subsection (4) of this section; and

(v) Files with the Department of Revenue documentation showing proof of employment as a law enforcement officer and proof of residence in Nebraska each year such officer or such officer's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition waiver.

(b) The officer may receive the tuition waiver for up to five years if he or she otherwise continues to be eligible for participation.

(2)(a) Any legal dependent of a law enforcement officer who satisfies subsection (1) of this section shall be entitled to a tuition waiver of one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of any state university, state college, or community college for an associate or baccalaureate degree program if the legal dependent:

(i) Executes an agreement in accordance with section 85-2605;

(ii) Has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree;

(iii) Completes and submits to the United States Department of Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid;

(iv) Submits a document to the state university, state college, or community college confirming that the legal dependent has satisfied subdivision (2)(a)(iii) of this section. Such document shall be submitted in a form and manner as prescribed by the state university, state college, or community college; and

(v) Submits the certificate of verification required by subsection (4) of this section.

(b) The legal dependent may receive the tuition waiver for up to five years if the law enforcement officer and the legal dependent continue to be eligible for participation. The five years of tuition waiver eligibility starts once the legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition waiver for the first time and is available to such legal dependent for the next consecutive five years.

(3) The state university, state college, or community college shall waive one hundred percent of the officer's or the legal dependent's tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants for an eligible law enforcement officer or legal dependent during the time the officer or legal dependent is enrolled. To remain eligible, the officer or legal dependent must comply with all requirements of the institution for continued attendance and award of an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.

(4)(a) An application for the tuition waiver shall include a verification of the law enforcement officer's satisfaction of subsection (1) of this section. It shall be the responsibility of the officer to obtain a certificate of verification from his or her superior attesting to such officer's satisfaction of subsection (1) of this section. The officer shall include the certificate of verification when the officer or the officer's legal dependent is applying to the state university, state college, or community college in order to obtain tuition waiver upon initial enrollment.

(b) The death of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty which occurs after submission of an application for a tuition waiver shall not disqualify such officer's otherwise eligible legal dependent from receiving the tuition waiver. In such case, in lieu of submitting the certificate of verification provided for in subdivision (4)(a) of this section, the legal dependent shall submit a certificate of verification from the officer's superior attesting that:

(i) At the time of such death, such officer satisfied subsection (1) of this section; and

(ii) Such officer died in the line of duty.

(5) Within forty-five days after receipt of a completed application, the state university, state college, or community college shall send written notice of the law enforcement officer's or legal dependent's eligibility or ineligibility for the tuition waiver. If the officer or legal dependent is determined not to be eligible for the tuition waiver, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for such determination.