S 2846Cities & Towns

Towns and Cities - Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers

This bill removes the strict definition of "totally and permanently disabled" regarding eligibility for police family tuition waivers.

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Affected

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Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the requirements for state-funded tuition waivers for the children and spouses of police and correctional officers who are killed or disabled in the line of duty. Currently, to qualify based on disability, the officer must be "totally and permanently disabled," defined strictly as being unable to perform any gainful occupation. This bill removes that specific definition. By deleting this language, the bill likely broadens eligibility, allowing families to receive tuition benefits even if the disabled officer might be capable of performing some form of work other than their police duties.

For younger readers

This bill changes the rules for helping the families of police and correctional officers pay for college. Right now, if an officer gets hurt very badly at work and can never work at any job again, the state pays for their children or spouse to go to college in Rhode Island. This bill takes away the specific rule that says the officer must be unable to do any job at all to get this help. This change might make it easier for more families to get money for school if the officer is injured.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Police OfficersCorrectional OfficersSpouses of Police OfficersChildren of Police OfficersTaxpayers

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Expands access to higher education for families of public servants who suffer life-altering injuries, ensuring economic stability and opportunity for the households of disabled workers.
Removes a restrictive standard that penalized disabled workers for having any residual capacity to work, aligning benefits closer to a model of social support rather than strict exclusion.
Strengthens the social safety net for injured municipal and state workers, recognizing that the inability to perform one's chosen profession due to injury warrants support.
Allocates public funds specifically to law enforcement families, which may be viewed as prioritizing police welfare over other essential public workers or marginalized communities.
Maintains a system where debt-free higher education is a special privilege attached to specific professions rather than a universal right for all residents.
Increases state spending on a specific group without addressing broader systemic inequities in the criminal justice or education systems.

For Conservatives

Demonstrates tangible support for law enforcement officers and their families, honoring the sacrifices made by those who put their lives on the line to protect the community.
Fulfills a moral obligation to care for the dependents of those who are severely injured in the line of duty, strengthening the bond between the state and its uniformed services.
Encourages retention and recruitment in police forces by improving the long-term benefits package and security for officers' families.
Removes a clear, objective standard for disability, potentially opening the door to increased government spending and abuse of the system by those capable of working other jobs.
Increases the financial burden on Rhode Island taxpayers by expanding the pool of individuals eligible for state-funded entitlement programs.
Creates a potential situation where individuals collecting disability-related benefits might also work other jobs, effectively "double-dipping" at the expense of the state budget.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 1 addition · 3 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 45-19-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-19 entitled "Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers" is hereby amended to read as follows: 45-19-4.1. Tuition to children of police officers dying or disabled as a result of service.

(a) If an active member of the police force of a city or town is killed, dies, or becomes totally and permanently disabled from injuries received while in the performance of his or her duty as a member, or dies of a heart condition or any condition derived from hypertension while still a member, there shall be paid out of the general fund of the state of Rhode Island the charges for the tuition of children of the deceased or totally and permanently disabled police officer and/or the spouse of a police officer killed in the line of duty. The benefits are extended to the children and/or spouse who are attending or may attend the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, or any other college or university operated by the state; provided, that the child has entered the institution while between the ages of sixteen (16) and twenty-one (21); and provided, further, that the aid granted is available to the child and/or spouse for the period of time that may equal the normal time for completing the courses regularly offered by the institution, but in no case more than four (4) years.

(b) For the purpose of this section, the words “police officer” mean and include any member of the state police, any correctional officer within the department of corrections, or the police of any city or town regularly employed at a fixed salary or wage. Furthermore, this excludes auxiliary and volunteer police officers of city, town, or state police. ~~For the purpose of this section,~~ ~~the words “totally and permanently disabled” mean any impairment of mind or body making it~~ ~~impossible for one to follow continuously a gainful occupation.~~

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.