(1) In addition to any other scholarships provided by law, the Oregon Student Assistance Commission shall award scholarships in any state institution under the State Board of Higher Education, in the Oregon Health and Science University, in any community college operated under ORS chapter 341, or in any Oregon-based regionally accredited independent institution, to any student applying for enrollment or who is enrolled therein, who is:
(a) The natural child, adopted child or stepchild of any public safety officer who, in the line of duty, was killed or so disabled, as determined by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission, that the income of the public safety officer is less than that earned by public safety officers performing duties comparable to those performed at the highest rank or grade attained by the public safety officer; or
(b) A former foster child who enrolls in an institution of higher education as an undergraduate student not later than three years from the date the student was removed from the care of the Department of Human Services, the date the student graduated from high school or the date the student received the equivalent of a high school diploma, whichever date is earliest.
(2) Scholarships awarded under this section to students who are dependents of public safety officers or who are former foster children shall equal the amount of tuition and all fees levied by the institution against the recipient of the scholarship. However, scholarships awarded to students who attend independent institutions shall not exceed the amount of tuition and all fees levied by the University of Oregon.
(3) If the student who is the dependent of a deceased public safety officer continues to remain enrolled in a state institution of higher education or a community college or an independent institution within the State of Oregon, the student shall be entitled to renewal of the scholarship until the student has received the equivalent of four years of undergraduate education and four years of post-graduate education.
(4) If the student who is a former foster child or who is the dependent of a public safety officer with a disability continues to remain enrolled in a state institution of higher education or a community college or an independent institution within the State of Oregon, the student shall be entitled to renewal of the scholarship until the student has received the equivalent of four years of undergraduate education.
(5) The Oregon Student Assistance Commission may require proof of the student’s relationship to a public safety officer described in subsection (1) of this section or proof that the student is a former foster child.
(6) As used in this section:
(a) “Former foster child” means an individual who, for a total of 12 or more months while between the ages of 16 and 21, was a ward of the court pursuant to ORS 419B.100 (1)(b) to (e) and in the legal custody of the Department of Human Services for out-of-home placement.
(b) “Public safety officer” means:
(A) A firefighter or police officer as those terms are defined in ORS 237.610.
(B) A member of the Oregon State Police. [1973 c.784 §1; 1977 c.725 §6; 1995 c.162 §70; 1997 c.515 §1; 2001 c.730 §1; 2007 c.70 §146]
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