15-1808. Tuition waiver for child or spouse of peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States armed forces killed in the line of duty; national guard members with disabilities; United States armed forces members with disabilities; definitions

A. The Arizona board of regents, after verification by the Arizona peace officers memorial board, by the Arizona fallen firefighter memorial committee, by the adjutant general of the national guard or by the Arizona department of veterans' services that a person is a child or a spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States armed forces who was a resident of the state of Arizona or stationed in Arizona and who was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while traveling to or from duty, shall provide the person who qualifies under subsection B of this section and who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any university under the jurisdiction of the board. A district as defined in section 15-1401, after verification by the Arizona peace officers memorial board, by the Arizona fallen firefighter memorial committee, by the adjutant general of the national guard or by the Arizona department of veterans' services that a person is the child or the spouse of a peace officer, correctional officer, firefighter, emergency paramedic, national guard member or member of the United States armed forces who was a resident of Arizona or stationed in Arizona and who was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while traveling to or from duty, shall provide the person who qualifies under subsection B of this section and who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any community college under the jurisdiction of the district.

B. The tuition waiver scholarships shall be limited to children who are thirty years of age or younger or a spouse who has not remarried and shall be limited for a spouse or for any one child to not more than sixty-four credit hours at Arizona community colleges and a total number of credits including any transfer credits from an Arizona community college equal to the number of credits required for a baccalaureate degree at Arizona universities for that student's initially declared course of study.

C. A member of the Arizona national guard who received a purple heart citation on or after September 11, 2001 or a former member of the Arizona national guard who was medically discharged from the Arizona national guard due to an injury or disability suffered during status under title 10, United States Code, in weekend training status, in annual training status or in response to a state of emergency declared by the governor is eligible for a tuition waiver scholarship provided for in this section.

D. The Arizona board of regents, after verification by the Arizona department of veterans' services that a person is a member or former member of the United States armed forces who received a purple heart citation, who was a resident of the state of Arizona or was stationed in Arizona at the time of the injury that resulted in the purple heart citation and whose disability rating determined by the United States department of veterans affairs is fifty percent or more, shall provide the person who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any university under the jurisdiction of the board. A district as defined in section 15-1401, after verification by the Arizona department of veterans' services that a person is a member or former member of the United States armed forces who received a purple heart citation, who was a resident of the state of Arizona or was stationed in Arizona at the time of the injury that resulted in the purple heart citation and whose disability rating determined by the United States department of veterans affairs is fifty percent or more, shall provide the person who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any community college under the jurisdiction of the district. A person who is convicted of a felony is ineligible for a tuition waiver scholarship provided for in this subsection.

E. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Correctional officer" means a person, other than an elected official, who is employed by this state or a county, city or town and who is responsible for the supervision, protection, care, custody or control of inmates in a state, county or municipal correctional institution, including counselors but excluding secretarial, clerical and professionally trained personnel.

2. " Emergency paramedic" means a person who has been trained in an emergency paramedic training program certified by the director of the department of health services or in an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director of the department of health services to render services pursuant to section 36-2205.

3. " Firefighter" means a professional firefighter who is a member of a state, federal, tribal, city, county, district or private fire department.

4. " Peace officers" means sheriffs of counties, constables, marshals, police officers of cities and towns, commissioned personnel of the department of public safety and police officers appointed by community college district governing boards or the Arizona board of regents who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, and other state, federal, tribal, city or county officers vested by law with a duty to maintain public order and make arrests.