SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2684

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 6, 2018

     The Senate Higher Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2684.

     This bill provides that retired law enforcement officers are permitted to attend regularly-scheduled courses at public institutions of higher education or proprietary institutions which are licensed to confer academic degrees by the Secretary of Higher Education and receive up to 16 credits per semester tuition-free provided that:

· the officer retired because of a disability pursuant to certain enumerated sections of State law or any substantially similar statute governing the disability retirement of federal law enforcement officers;

· the retired officer is enrolled an as undergraduate or graduate student at the institution in good standing, or in a degree-granting program at a qualified proprietary institution in good standing; and

· the retired officer has applied for all available federal and State student grants and scholarships for which the officer is eligible.

     Under the bill, the State will reimburse an institution for the tuition of each eligible retired law enforcement officer who enrolls in the institution to the extent that the tuition cost is not paid through federal and State student grants and scholarships.

     Under P.L.1999, c.46, members of the New Jersey National Guard are permitted to attend regularly-scheduled courses at a public institution of higher education and receive up to 16 credits per semester tuition-free. This bill models that law and provides the same tuition benefits to former law enforcement officers who retired due to disability.