No. 42073 (New Rule): Rule R765-613. Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Reimbursement Program

(New Rule)

DAR File No.: 42073
Filed: 09/08/2017 11:27:29 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

S.B. 165 from the 2017 General Session created the Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Reimbursement program which requires an administrative rule.

Summary of the rule or change:

This rule provides guidance in the administration and application process for the Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Reimbursement program established in S.B. 165 (2017). In addition to the application procedure, this rule outlines the timetable for reimbursement of higher education tuition and fees for certified peace officers in degree programs that may enable the applicant to advance in their law enforcement career.

Statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 53B-8-112

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

By law this program has an initial appropriation from the fiscal 2018 budget of $200,000. This will be an ongoing annual appropriation until changed by the legislature.

local governments:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to any local government through this rule or program.

small businesses:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to any small business through this rule or program.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to any person through this rule or program.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There is no anticipated compliance cost for any person through the implementation of this rule or program.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

There is no fiscal impact on any business or other type of entity from this rule.

Dave Buhler, Commissioner

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Office of Administrative Rules, or at:

Regents (Board Of)
Administration
BOARD OF REGENTS BUILDING, THE GATEWAY
60 SOUTH 400 WEST
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84101-1284

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Ronell Crossley at the above address, by phone at 801-321-7291, by FAX at 801-321-7299, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

10/31/2017

This rule may become effective on:

11/07/2017

Authorized by:

Dave Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education

RULE TEXT

R765. Regents (Board of), Administration.

R765-613. Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Reimbursement (POSCAR)

R765-613-1. Purpose .

The PSOCAR Program is a state funded tuition reimbursement for peace officers enrolled in criminal justice related programs at a Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institution, available for up to eight academic years.

 

R765-613-2. References

2.1. Utah Code Section 53B-8-112 (Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Scholarship)

2.2. Utah Code Section 63G-4-202 (Designation of adjudicative proceedings as informal - Standards - Undesignated proceedings formal)

 

R765-613-3. Effective Date

These policies and procedures are effective May 19, 2017.

 

R765-613-4. Application Process

4.1. Qualified applicants may be reimbursed up to half of tuition and fees with a maximum of $5,000 per year, subject to funding. If the total applicant awards exceed available funding in any given year, the Board will reduce reimbursement amounts evenly across all qualified applicants, maintaining that the minimum designated amounts for particular rural counties are met.

4.2. To qualify, applicants must be:

4.2.1. a certified peace officer, currently employed by a Utah law enforcement agency,

4.2.2. employed by a Utah law enforcement agency as a certified peace officer for three consecutive years prior to the completion of the academic year for which he or she is seeking reimbursement, and

4.2.3. employed by a Utah law enforcement agency as a certified peace officer for one additional year after the completion of that academic year.

4.3. The application will be available at the Board of Regents website, highereduutah.org. Applicants must complete the entire application and include all required documentation and certifications including,

4.3.1. Employer certification from an authorized representative of each employer for the four year period.

4.3.2. A copy of the tuition payment receipt(s) and transcript(s) with final grades for the enrollment period.

 

R765-613-5. Application Deadlines

5.1. The 2017 application will allow for reimbursement to criminal justice students who were enrolled during the 2015-2016 academic year, defined as July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, who meet program requirements. Application deadlines for subsequent years will retain these time frames, adjusted for the next year.

5.2. For the first year of the program, qualified applicants may submit applications beginning July 1, 2017, after the post-enrollment work component is complete. Applicants for subsequent years may begin submitting applications July 1 of the year in which they are applying.

5.3. 2017 applications are due by November 1, 2017 to be considered for funding.

Applications must be postmarked or received by the criminal justice department at the institution by the application deadline in order to be considered. The deadline for subsequent years applications will be September 1st. The postmark or received by requirements remain the same. Application deadlines may be extended at the discretion of the Commissioner of Higher Education or designee.

 

R765-613-6. Appeals Process

6.1. Applicants who wish to appeal a reimbursement decision may do so, in writing to the Commissioner of Higher Education or designee. The applicant's appeal shall be postmarked within 30 days from the date on which the reimbursement decision was made.

6.2. Applicants shall include all relevant arguments and documentation in their written appeals.

6.3. The Commissioner of Higher Education or designee shall review the appeal and issue a written decision in accordance with the Utah Administrative Procedures Act.

6.4. Appeals proceedings under this section are designated as informal pursuant to Utah Code Section 63G-4-202.

 

KEY: tuition reimbursement, higher education, peace officers, POSCAR

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: 2017

Authorizing, Implemented, or Interpreted Law: 53B-8-112

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