Free tuition at state-supported school for survivor of police officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter permanently and totally disabled in line of duty -- Free tuition at state-supported school for survivor of other state- administered retirement system participants disabled as a result of duty- related injury
KRS 164.2842
in effect164.2842. Free tuition at state-supported school for survivor of police officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter permanently and totally disabled in line of duty -- Free tuition at state-supported school for survivor of other state- administered retirement system participants disabled as a result of duty- related injury
(1) (a) The spouse, regardless of age, and any child of a permanently and totally disabled law enforcement officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter injured while in active service or in training for active service, who is over the age of seventeen (17) and under the age of twenty-three (23) shall not be required to pay any matriculation or tuition fee upon his admission to any state-supported university, community college, or vocational training institution for a period not in excess of thirty-six (36) months in order to obtain a diploma, nor in excess of the lesser number of months required for a certificate of completion.
(b) For the spouse or child to be entitled to benefits under this section, the disabled law enforcement officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter shall be rated permanently and totally disabled for pension purposes or one hundred percent (100%) disabled for compensation purposes by the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the appropriate city or county law enforcement agency which employed the disabled, the administrative agency for the fire department or fire protection district recognized for funding under KRS 95A.262, or the administrative agency having jurisdiction over any paid firefighters of all counties and cities of all classes, or if deceased, the claim to benefits is to be based on the rating held by the law enforcement officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter at the time of death. The parent's or spouse's service and rating shall be evidenced by certification from the records of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the appropriate local law enforcement agency, the administrative agency for the fire department or fire protection district recognized for funding under KRS 95A.262, or the administrative agency having jurisdiction over any paid firefighters of all counties and cities of all classes.
(c) In the absence of certification of permanent and total disability by the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the appropriate local law enforcement agency, the administrative agency for the fire department or fire protection district recognized for funding under KRS 95A.262, or the administrative agency having jurisdiction over any paid firefighters of all counties and cities of all classes, medical evidence showing permanent and total disability or the existence of permanent and total disability for a period of at least thirty (30) days immediately prior to death may be accepted, if this evidence is signed by a physician licensed to practice or an official of an accredited medical hospital.
(d) The parent-child relationship shall be shown by birth certificate, legal adoption papers, or other documentary evidence. The spousal relationship shall be shown by a marriage certificate or other documentary evidence.
(e) To entitle a spouse or child to benefits under this section the disabled law enforcement officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter shall have been a resident of the Commonwealth of Kentucky upon becoming a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or volunteer firefighter.
(2) (a) The spouse, regardless of age, and any child of a person who was an employee participating in a state-administered retirement system and not otherwise covered by subsection (1) of this section and who was disabled as a result of a duty-related injury as described in KRS 61.621, who is over the age of seventeen (17) and under the age of twenty-three (23) shall not be required to pay any matriculation or tuition fee upon his admission to any state-supported university, community college, or vocational training institution for a period not in excess of thirty-six (36) months in order to obtain a diploma, nor in excess of the lesser number of months required for a certificate of completion.
(b) The parent-child relationship shall be shown by birth certificate, legal adoption papers, or other documentary evidence. The spousal relationship shall be shown by a marriage certificate or other documentary evidence.
(3) The marriage of an eligible child shall not serve to deny full entitlement to the benefits provided in this section.
Effective: July 15, 2010
History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 24, sec. 212, effective July 15, 2010. -- Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 172, effective June 26, 2007. -- Amended 2001 Ky. Acts ch. 7, sec. 5, effective June 21, 2001. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 181, sec. 100, effective April 4, 1994. – Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 381, sec. 10, effective July 14, 1992. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 143, sec. 2, effective July 13, 1990. -- Created 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 324, sec. 3, effective April 4, 1986.
Source: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (legislature.ky.gov)URL: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=4234Fetched: 10/20/2026