Bill > HB98

This bill establishes the "Alabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program" to provide college tuition assistance for eligible dependents of qualifying law enforcement officers. An "eligible dependent" can be a child under 24 or a current or surviving spouse, provided they have resided in Alabama for at least five years and are not already receiving similar educational assistance. A "qualifying law enforcement officer" is someone who has served full-time for at least 15 years in Alabama and is either currently employed or has been separated from service for no more than 10 years, unless terminated for disciplinary reasons. The scholarship, administered by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (which includes its Office of Student Assistance), will cover tuition and mandatory fees, up to $2,500 per academic period (semester or quarter), after other financial aid is applied, for up to eight semesters or twelve quarters at a "participating institution," which is any accredited public postsecondary school that contracts with the commission. Funding for this program will come from an annual appropriation of up to $10 million from the Education Trust Fund starting in fiscal year 2027, and also from donations and a new "blackout" license plate option for vehicles, where a $50 annual fee will contribute to the scholarship fund.