MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2014 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges

By: Senator(s) Polk

Senate Bill 2403

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-107-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PERSONS WHO APPLY FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS SCHOLARSHIP TO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WITH A MINIMUM GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 2.0; TO REQUIRE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS TO MAINTAIN A GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 2.5 AS A CONDITION FOR RENEWAL; TO AMEND SECTION 37-107-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE DOCUMENTATION THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO PROVE PERMANENT AND TOTAL DISABILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 37-107-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     37-107-1.  (1)  Unless provided otherwise, if any Mississippi law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter or volunteer firefighter shall suffer or has suffered fatal injuries or wounds or become permanently and totally disabled as a result of injuries or wounds which occurred in the performance of the official and appointed duties of his or her office, his or her spouse, child or children shall be entitled to an eight-semester scholarship without cost, exclusive of books, food, school supplies, materials and dues or fees for extracurricular activities, at any state-supported college or university of his or her choice within this state.

(a)  To qualify for the scholarship, the applicant must have graduated from high school with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 as calculated on a 4.0 scale.

(b)  No child shall be entitled to receive benefits during any semester or quarter when said child has reached the age of twenty-three (23) years on the first day of said semester or quarter.  However, any child who has begun the process of acquiring college credits under the provisions of this section prior to attaining the age of twenty-three (23) years shall be entitled to the full eight-semester scholarship if his or her college instruction was interrupted for any reason.

(2)  Eligibility for renewal of the scholarship shall be evaluated at the end of each semester or term of each academic year.  As a condition for renewal, a student shall:

(a)  Make steady academic progress toward a certificate or degree, as outlined in the institution's Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and certified by the institution's registrar; and

(b)  Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 calculated on a 4.0 scale at the end of each academic year.

(3)  Scholarship benefits shall not accrue hereunder to any person if the wounds or injuries suffered by any law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter or volunteer firefighter are self-inflicted or if his death is self-induced.

     SECTION 2.  Section 37-107-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     37-107-5.  (1)  Any law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter or volunteer firefighter claiming permanent and total disability * * *under this chapter shall be qualified, or disqualified, for * * *such a claim * * *upon examination and decision by any two (2) of the three (3) following staff members of the University of Mississippi Medical Center under this chapter based on examination and review of the following four (4) documents:

          (a) * * *  Chairman of the Board of Medicine, A letter from the officer's or firefighter's former supervisor or employer stating whether the officer or firefighter is disabled as a result of injuries or wounds that occurred in the performance of the official duties of his office;

          (b) * * *  Chief of the Division of Orthopedics, and A statement from the officer's or firefighter's physician stating whether the officer or firefighter is disabled and the reason for that disability;

          (c) * * *  Professor and Chairman of Surgery. Verification from the Public Employees' Retirement System; and

(d)  Verification from the Social Security Administration.

 * * * The expenses of such examination shall be the responsibility of the individual claimant unless otherwise provided for by a municipality, county or the state.

(2)  If the law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter or volunteer firefighter suffered fatal injuries or wounds, a claim under this chapter shall be based on examination and review of the following two (2) documents:

(a)  A letter from the officer's or firefighter's former supervisor or employer stating whether he suffered fatal injuries in the performance of the official duties of his office; and

(b)  A death certificate.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.

---