Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 332 First Substitute (2023GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Clancy, T.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/20/2023

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• creates the Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program to be administered by the Department of Public Safety to provide certain funds to children of public safety officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty; and
• grants the Department of Public Safety rulemaking authority to administer the program.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

FALLEN OFFICER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Tyler Clancy
Senate Sponsor: 
Curtis S. Bramble
Cosponsors:
Nelson T. Abbott
Carl R. Albrecht
Melissa G. Ballard
Stewart E. Barlow
Bridger Bolinder
Walt Brooks
Joseph Elison
Matthew H. Gwynn
Katy Hall
Jon Hawkins
Marsha Judkins
Trevor Lee
A. Cory Maloy
Ashlee Matthews
Carol S. Moss
Karen M. Peterson
Thomas W. Peterson
Candice B. Pierucci
Judy Weeks Rohner
Mike Schultz
Casey Snider
Andrew Stoddard
R. Neil Walter
Douglas R. Welton
Ryan D. Wilcox
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program to be administered
by the Department of Public Safety.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ creates the Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program to be administered by the
Department of Public Safety to provide certain funds to children of public safety
officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty; and
▸ grants the Department of Public Safety rulemaking authority to administer the
program.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
53-17a-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53-17a-101
 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 17a. FALLEN OFFICER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
 53-17a-101.
Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program -- Rulemaking.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Child" means an individual who:
(i) is a natural or adopted child of a public safety officer or a firefighter who died in the
line of duty; and
(ii) was under the age of 25 at the time of the public safety officer's or firefighter's
death.
(b) "Died in the line of duty" means a death that is classified as a line-of-duty death
under the provisions of Section 
49-14-102
, 
49-15-102
, 
49-16-102
, or 
49-23-102
.
(c) "Educational-related expenses" includes tuition, fees, books, and other expenses
related to obtaining an education.
(d) "Firefighter" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
34A-3-113
.
(e) "Public safety officer" means an individual who:
(i) is employed as:
(A) a law enforcement officer in accordance with Section 
53-13-103
;
(B) a correctional officer in accordance with Section 
53-13-104
; or
(C) a special function officer in accordance with Section 
53-13-105
; and
(ii) in the course of the individual's employment, put the individual's life or personal
safety at risk.
(2) This section creates the Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program, to be
administered by the department.
(3) Subject to legislative appropriations and Subsection (6), the department shall
provide $5,000 per year for up to four years to an applicant who:
(a) is a child of a public safety officer or a firefighter who died in the line of duty;
(b) is 17 years old or older;
(c) certifies, on a form provided by the department, that the applicant agrees to use the
funds entirely for educational-related expenses; and
(d) fulfills any other application requirement established by the department.
(4) Nothing in this section affects a child's ability to obtain a tuition waiver under
Section 
53B-8c-103
.
(5) (a) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
the department may make rules necessary to administer this section, including:
(i) setting deadlines for receiving applications and supporting documentation; and
(ii) establishing the application process and an appeal process for the Fallen Officer
Memorial Scholarship Program.
(b) The department shall include a disclosure on all applications and related materials
that the amount of funds provided may be subject to funding or be reduced, in accordance with
Subsection (6).
(6) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall make an annual
appropriation from the Income Tax Fund to the department for the costs associated with the
Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program authorized under this section.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation under this
section is insufficient to cover the costs associated with the Fallen Officer Memorial
Scholarship Program, the department may:
(i) reduce the amount of funds distributed to an applicant; or
(ii) distribute funds on a pro rata basis to all eligible applicants who submitted a
complete application before the application deadline.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on July 1, 2023.