An Act To Allow Spouses and Children of Veterans Killed in the Line of Duty To Receive the State Tuition Waiver
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0384
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: VILLA, VALENTINO, BEAVERS, CROCKETT, DICKERSON, GILBERT, HAMANN, SAUCIER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §12553

Legislative Document 
No. 384 
H.P. 259 
House of Representatives, February 12, 2013 
An Act To Allow Spouses and Children of Veterans Killed in the 
Line of Duty To Receive the State Tuition Waiver 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative VILLA of Harrison. 
Cosponsored by Senator VALENTINO of York and 
Representatives: BEAVERS of South Berwick, CROCKETT of Bethel, DICKERSON of 
Rockland, GILBERT of Jay, HAMANN of South Portland, McLEAN of Gorham, SAUCIER 
of Presque Isle. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §12553, as amended by PL 1999, c. 234, §§4 to 6, is further 
amended to read: 
§12553.  Tuition waiver 
The child or spouse of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or, emergency medical 
services person or member of the United States Armed Forces who has been killed or 
who has received an injury during the performance of that firefighter's, law enforcement 
officer's or, emergency medical services person's or member of the United States Armed 
Forces' duties, which results in death, may attend, as provided in this section, any state 
postsecondary educational institution free of tuition charges. 
1.  Eligibility of a child.  The child of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or, 
emergency medical services person or member of the United States Armed Forces is 
eligible for tuition waiver under this chapter if the child is: 
A.  The natural or legally adopted child of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or, 
emergency medical services person or member of the United States Armed Forces; 
B.  Is less Less than 21 years old at the time of the death of the parent who is a 
firefighter, law enforcement officer or, emergency medical services person or 
member of the United States Armed Forces; 
C.  A Maine resident; 
D.  A high school graduate or has attained equivalent certification; and 
E.  Accepted for admission to a state postsecondary educational institution. 
1-A.  Eligibility of a spouse.  The spouse of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or, 
emergency medical services person or member of the United States Armed Forces is 
eligible for tuition waiver under this chapter if the spouse is: 
A.  Legally married to the firefighter, law enforcement officer or, emergency medical 
services person or member of the United States Armed Forces at the time of the 
firefighter's, law enforcement officer's or, emergency medical services person's or 
member of the United States Armed Forces' death; 
B.  A Maine resident; 
C.  A high school graduate or has attained equivalent certification; and 
D.  Accepted for admission to a state postsecondary educational institution. 
2.  Limitation.  The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is limited to 
undergraduate degree programs and is limited to not more than 5 years of full-time 
enrollment or its equivalent. 
3.  Continuation.  The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is awarded on a yearly 
basis and continues to be available, if the child or spouse is otherwise eligible under this 
section, as long as the child or spouse remains in good academic standing at a state 
institution. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides tuition waivers to state postsecondary educational institutions for 
spouses and children of members of the United States Armed Forces who have been 
killed or injured while on duty.  This tuition waiver is currently available for spouses and 
children of firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical services 
persons who have been killed or injured while on duty.