§ 23.1-609 Surviving spouses and children of certain individuals; tuition and fee waivers
A. The surviving spouse and any child between the ages of 16 and 25 of an individual who was killed in the line of duty while employed or serving as a (i) law-enforcement officer, including as a campus police officer appointed under Article 3 (§ 23.1-809 et seq.) of Chapter 8, sworn law-enforcement officer, firefighter, special forest warden pursuant to § 10.1-1135, member of a rescue squad, special agent of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, state correctional, regional or local jail officer, regional jail or jail farm superintendent, sheriff, or deputy sheriff; (ii) member of the Virginia National Guard while serving on official state duty or federal duty under Title 32 of the United States Code; or (iii) member of the Virginia Defense Force while serving on official state duty, and any individual whose spouse was killed in the line of duty while employed or serving in any of such occupations, is entitled to a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at any public institution of higher education under the following conditions:
1. The chief executive officer of the deceased individual’s employer certifies that such individual was so employed and was killed in the line of duty while serving or living in the Commonwealth; and
2. The surviving spouse or child is admitted to, enrolls at, and is in attendance at such institution and applies to such institution for the waiver. Waiver recipients who make satisfactory academic progress are eligible for renewal of such waiver.
B. Institutions that grant such waivers shall waive the amounts payable for tuition, institutional charges and mandatory educational and auxiliary fees, and books and supplies but shall not waive user fees such as room and board charges.
C. Each public institution of higher education shall include in its catalog or equivalent publication a statement describing the benefits available pursuant to this section.
History
This law was first created in 1996. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 931 and 981 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 12 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1998, chapter 377; in 2001, chapter 330; in 2003, chapters 657 and 670; in 2005, chapters 773 and 783; in 2006, chapter 793; in 2007, chapters 116, 161, and 717; in 2011, chapters 572 and 586; in 2012, chapter 776; in 2013, chapter 719; in 2014, chapters 184 and 657; in 2015, chapters 38 and 730; in 2016, chapter 588.
1996, cc. 931, 981, § 23-7.4:1; 1998, c. 377; 2001, c. 330; 2003, cc. 657, 670; 2005, cc. 773, 783; 2006, c. 793; 2007, cc. 116, 161, 717; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2012, c. 776; 2013, c. 719; 2014, cc. 184, 657; 2015, cc. 38, 730; 2016, c. 588.