2023 Nebraska Revised Statutes › Chapter 85 - State University, State Colleges, and Postsecondary Education › 85-2603 - Law enforcement officer; legal dependent; waiver of tuition; application; certificate of verification; notice of eligibility or ineligibility; contents; appeal.

85-2603.
Law enforcement officer; legal dependent; waiver of tuition; application; certificate of verification; notice of eligibility or ineligibility; contents; appeal.
(1) A law enforcement officer shall be entitled to a waiver of one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of any state university, state college, or community college if the officer:
(a) Maintains satisfactory performance with his or her law enforcement agency;
(b) Meets all admission requirements of the state university, state college, or community college;
(c) Pursues studies leading to a degree that relates to a career in law enforcement from an associate degree program or a baccalaureate degree program; and
(d) For an officer applying for a waiver after September 2, 2023, files with the Department of Revenue documentation showing proof of employment as a law enforcement officer and proof of residence in Nebraska each year such officer or such officer's legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition waiver.
The officer may receive the tuition waiver for up to five years if he or she otherwise continues to be eligible for participation.
(2) Any legal dependent of a law enforcement officer who maintains satisfactory performance with such law enforcement officer's law enforcement agency shall be entitled to a tuition waiver of one hundred percent of the resident tuition charges of any state university, state college, or community college for an associate or baccalaureate degree program if the legal dependent executes an agreement with the state in accordance with section 85-2605. The legal dependent may receive the tuition waiver for up to five years if the law enforcement officer and the legal dependent continue to be eligible for participation. The five years of tuition waiver eligibility starts once the legal dependent applies for and receives the tuition waiver for the first time and is available to such legal dependent for the next consecutive five years.
(3) The state university, state college, or community college shall waive one hundred percent of the officer's or the legal dependent's tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants for an eligible law enforcement officer or legal dependent during the time the officer or legal dependent is enrolled. To remain eligible, the officer or legal dependent must comply with all requirements of the institution for continued attendance and award of an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.
(4) An application for the tuition waiver shall include a verification of the law enforcement officer's satisfactory performance as a law enforcement officer. It shall be the responsibility of the officer to obtain a certificate of verification from his or her superior officer in such officer's law enforcement agency attesting to such officer's satisfactory performance. The officer shall include the certificate of verification when the officer or the officer's legal dependent is applying to the state university, state college, or community college in order to obtain tuition waiver upon initial enrollment.
(5) Within forty-five days after receipt of a completed application, the state university, state college, or community college shall send written notice of the law enforcement officer's or legal dependent's eligibility or ineligibility for the tuition waiver. If the officer or legal dependent is determined not to be eligible for the tuition waiver, the notice shall include the reason or reasons for such determination and an indication that an appeal of the determination may be made pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
Source
Laws 2016, LB906, § 3;
Laws 2022, LB1273, § 2;
Laws 2023, LB727, § 109.
Operative Date: September 2, 2023
Cross References
Administrative Procedure Act, see section 84-920.