(a) Eligibility for the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship requires one (1) of the following:(1) The student has been a legal Arkansas resident for at least one (1) year before submitting a scholarship application;(2) The student was born before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; or(3) The Arkansas hero or the spouse of the Arkansas hero was pregnant with the student at the time of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(1) The student has been a legal Arkansas resident for at least one (1) year before submitting a scholarship application;
(2) The student was born before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; or
(3) The Arkansas hero or the spouse of the Arkansas hero was pregnant with the student at the time of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(b) In order for an adopted child to be eligible to receive a scholarship benefit:(1) The adopted child is required to have been adopted before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; or(2) The adopted child's adoption process is required to have begun before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(1) The adopted child is required to have been adopted before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; or
(2) The adopted child's adoption process is required to have begun before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(c) In order for a stepchild under nineteen (19) years of age to be eligible to receive a scholarship benefit, the stepchild under nineteen (19) years of age shall have:(1) Been listed as a dependent on the federal and state income tax returns of the Arkansas hero in each of the five (5) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; and(2) Received more than one-half (1/2) of his or her financial support from the Arkansas hero in each of the five (5) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(1) Been listed as a dependent on the federal and state income tax returns of the Arkansas hero in each of the five (5) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; and
(2) Received more than one-half (1/2) of his or her financial support from the Arkansas hero in each of the five (5) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(d) In order for a stepchild who is nineteen (19) years of age or older to be eligible to receive a scholarship benefit, the stepchild who is nineteen (19) years or older shall have:(1) Been listed as a dependent on the federal and state income tax returns of the Arkansas hero in at least five (5) of the eight (8) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; and(2) Received more than one-half (1/2) of his or her financial support from the Arkansas hero in at least five (5) of the eight (8) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(1) Been listed as a dependent on the federal and state income tax returns of the Arkansas hero in at least five (5) of the eight (8) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero; and
(2) Received more than one-half (1/2) of his or her financial support from the Arkansas hero in at least five (5) of the eight (8) income years immediately before the date of the death or disability of the Arkansas hero.
(e) If a covered public employee, as defined in § 21-5-701, or his or her heirs did not file for the available death or disability benefit but were otherwise eligible to receive the death or disability benefit within the time frame provided in § 21-5-703, then the covered public employee's child or children who would have otherwise been eligible to receive the provided educational scholarship benefit under this section may individually file before his or her twenty-first birthday a claim to receive the provided educational scholarship benefit if:(1) The student is considered a United States Armed Forces dependent as provided in § 6-82-2503; or(2) The student is a dependent of an Arkansas hero who suffered fatal injuries or wounds or becomes disabled as a result of injuries or wounds that occurred in the performance of a hazardous duty within the scope of his or her employment or that occurred en route to or returning from a location where a hazardous situation existed.
(1) The student is considered a United States Armed Forces dependent as provided in § 6-82-2503; or
(2) The student is a dependent of an Arkansas hero who suffered fatal injuries or wounds or becomes disabled as a result of injuries or wounds that occurred in the performance of a hazardous duty within the scope of his or her employment or that occurred en route to or returning from a location where a hazardous situation existed.
(f) Scholarship benefits may not accrue under this subchapter to a person if the wound or injury suffered by an Arkansas hero is self-inflicted or if the death of an Arkansas hero is self-inflicted.
(g) Unless subsection (e) of this section is applicable, the Arkansas State Claims Commission shall award any scholarship benefit provided by this subchapter at the same time that any death benefit or disability benefit is awarded by the commission under the provisions of § 21-5-701 et seq.