HOUSE BILL 55

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Tim D. Lewis and Patricio Ruiloba and Bill B. O'Neill

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; EXPANDING THE BENEFITS AND SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR RECIPIENTS OF THE FIRE FIGHTER AND PEACE OFFICER SURVIVORS SCHOLARSHIP.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 21-21F-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter 50, Section 3) is amended to read:

     "21-21F-3. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Fire Fighter and Peace Officer Survivors Scholarship Act:

          A. "board" or "department" means the [board of educational finance] higher education department;

          B. "cost of attendance" means the price of attendance, the publication of which is required by federal law, and includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation and any additional costs for a program in which a student is enrolled;

          [B.] C. "eligible institution" means any [state] public institution of higher education in [New Mexico] any state in the United States;

          [C.] D. "fire fighter" means any member of a fire department that is part of or administered by the state or any political subdivision of the state;

          [D.] E. "peace officer" means any member of a police or sheriff's department that is part of or administered by the state or any political subdivision of the state and officers in the corrections department [of corrections; and];

          F. "research institution" means the university of New Mexico, New Mexico state university or New Mexico institute of mining and technology; and

          [E.] G. "survivor" means the spouse of the fire fighter or peace officer killed in the line of duty and any adopted or natural children twenty-one years of age or under at the time of [his] the fire fighter's or peace officer's death."

     SECTION 2. Section 21-21F-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter 50, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "21-21F-4. ELIGIBILITY.--

          A. A survivor meeting entrance requirements shall be entitled to a scholarship to the eligible institution of [his] the survivor's choice.

          B. If the eligible institution is in New Mexico, the amount of the scholarship shall be equal to the amount of tuition, room and board charged by the institution attended. If the eligible institution is not in New Mexico, the amount of the scholarship shall not exceed the average cost of attendance at New Mexico research institutions.

          C. The scholarship shall continue for such time as the recipient remains a student in good standing at the institution, but in no event shall any survivor receive a scholarship for more than [five] six years."

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2018.

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