H.B. 340 Enrolled

PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
2001 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: David L. Hogue
This act amends the State Officers and Employees title of the code to provide that the
director of the Department of Human Resource Management establish a plan for education
compensation for law enforcement officers and correctional officers that addresses tuition
and step increases for obtaining specified higher education degrees.
This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
ENACTS:
67-19-12.4, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 67-19-12.4 is enacted to read:
67-19-12.4. Education benefit plan for law enforcement and correctional officers.
(1) As used in this section, "law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in Section
53-13-103 and "correctional officer" has the same meaning as in Section 53-13-104 .
(2) The director shall establish a plan authorizing any state agency to implement an
educational compensation program for law enforcement officers and correctional officers
employed by that state agency.
(3) The program shall provide that in order for a law enforcement officer or correctional
officer to qualify for education benefits for college or university education, the law enforcement
officer or correctional officer shall:
(a) provide a certified transcript of grades, demonstrating a grade point average of 3.0 or
greater, from an accredited college or university; and
(b) have successfully completed the probationary employment period with the employing
agency.
(4) The program shall also provide that the agency may consider a law enforcement officer
or correctional officer to receive additional compensation as follows for higher education degrees
earned on or after April 30, 2001, in a subject area directly related to the law enforcement officer's

or correctional officer's employment with the agency:
(a) two steps for an associate's degree;
(b) two steps for a bachelor's degree; and
(c) two steps for a master's degree.
(5) Expenses incurred by an agency to provide additional compensation under this section
may be only from the agency's existing budget.

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