H.R. 10551 — Public Service Educational Assistance Act

This section establishes the Public Service Educational Assistance Program. The program provides educational assistance covering tuition, fees, and books for up to 4 academic years at an in-state postsecondary institution to each dependent of a public service employee with at least 20 years of service who was employed on the date of enactment or began service after that date.

This section permits dependents to receive educational assistance under this Act concurrently with other Federal student aid, including grants and loans under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as well as other postsecondary benefits under Federal, State, and local law. It excludes such assistance from wages or compensation when determining eligibility for or amounts of retirement or other employment-related benefits and exempts it from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

This section establishes definitions for the Act, including public service employees as full-time first responders, educators or teachers, or social workers; dependents as individuals under age 26; applicable postsecondary educational institutions as public institutions of higher education or public programs leading to recognized postsecondary credentials; and first responders to include law enforcement officers, firefighters, 911 operators, emergency medical services members, and certain federal and state emergency personnel.