H. B. 2181


(By Delegates Kuhn, Perdue,
Hrutkay, Caputo and Stemple)
[Introduced January 14, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section seven, article ten, chapter eighteen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to requiring state institutions of higher education to permit spouses and children of probation officers and parole officers killed in the line of duty to attend classes without payment of tuition and fees.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section seven, article ten, chapter eighteen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 10. FEES AND OTHER MONEY COLLECTED AT STATE INSTITUTIONS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
§18B-10-7. Tuition and fee waivers for children and spouses of certain officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

Each state institution of higher education shall permit any person to attend its undergraduate courses and classes if classroom space is available without charging such person any tuition or any fees, including those provided in sections two and three of this article, if such person is the child or spouse of a law-enforcement officer as defined in section one, article twenty-nine, chapter thirty of this code, a correctional officer at a state penal institution, a conservation officer, a parole officer, a probation officer or a registered firefighter, and such officer or firefighter was killed in the line of duty while employed by the state or any political subdivision thereof, or such firefighter was a member of a volunteer fire department serving a political subdivision of this state: Provided, That the state institution of higher education may require such person to pay special fees, including any laboratory fees, if such fees are required of all other students taking a single or the particular course and may also require such person to pay for parking. The governing boards may promulgate rules for determining the availability of classroom space and other rules as it considers necessary to implement this section, including rules regarding qualifications for attendance, which shall not exceed the qualifications required of other persons.
The governing boards may also extend to persons attending courses and classes under this section any rights, privileges or benefits extended to other students which it considers appropriate.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to include the spouses and children of officers killed in the line of duty among those eligible for free tuition at state colleges.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.