HB1624 • 2026

National Guard SEAP scholarship; require MS Office of Student Financial Aid to administer payment to institutions.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID TO BE THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD STATE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SEAP) FUNDING; TO REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES TO THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID RATHER THAN THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD; TO REQUIRE THE NATIONAL GUARD TO CERTIFY TO THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID THE NAMES OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND THE INSTITUTIONS TO WHICH SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PAYABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Budget Education

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Waldo, Foster
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its exact effects are uncertain.

Mississippi National Guard SEAP Scholarship Act

This bill requires the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid to manage and distribute scholarship funds for members of the Mississippi National Guard who qualify.

What This Bill Does

Makes the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid responsible for distributing scholarships from the State Educational Assistance Program (SEAP) to eligible National Guard members.
Requires the National Guard to provide a list of scholarship recipients and their chosen institutions to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Necessitates annual funding appropriations by the Legislature starting in 2027 for SEAP scholarships at state colleges and universities.

Who It Names or Affects

Mississippi National Guard members who want scholarships
The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid
State Institutions of Higher Learning

Terms To Know

SEAP: State Educational Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to eligible National Guard members for college expenses.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
It is unclear how much funding will be provided each year for the scholarships.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Died In Committee
2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/02 (H) DR - TSDP: MA To AP
2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/19 (H) Referred To Military Affairs;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

National Guard SEAP scholarship; require MS Office of Student Financial Aid to administer payment to institutions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 1624 *HR43/R1700* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1700
PAGE 1 (RKM\KP)

To: Military Affairs;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Waldo, Foster

HOUSE BILL NO. 1624

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL 1
AID TO BE THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL 2
GUARD STATE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SEAP) FUNDING; TO 3
REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR DEFRAYING THE 4
EXPENSES TO THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR THE 5
SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID 6
RATHER THAN THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD; TO REQUIRE THE 7
NATIONAL GUARD TO CERTIFY TO THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID THE NAMES 8
OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND THE INSTITUTIONS TO WHICH 9
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PAYABLE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Office of Student Financial 12
Aid shall be the administering agency for distribution of funding 13
under the State Educational Assistance Program (SEAP) available to 14
members of the Mississippi National Guard who are selected to 15
receive a scholarship under the program. The Mississippi National 16
Guard shall continue to accept applications and award scholarships 17
to eligible applicants according to criteria established by the 18
National Guard. 19
(2) The Mississippi National Guard shall certify to the 20
Office of Student Financial Aid the name of each recipient of SEAP 21
scholarships and the institution to which a student's award is 22
H. B. No. 1624 *HR43/R1700* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1700
PAGE 2 (RKM\KP)
ST: National Guard SEAP scholarship; require MS
Office of Student Financial Aid to administer
payment to institutions.
payable. Upon receipt of the certificate, the Office of Student 23
Financial Aid shall remit payment to the applicable institution. 24
(3) Beginning with the 2027 fiscal year, the Legislature 25
shall appropriate funding for the State Educational Assistance 26
Program to the State Institutions of Higher Learning for the 27
Support and Maintenance of Financial Aid Scholarship, Loan and 28
Grant Programs and the Mississippi Office of Student Financial 29
Aid. 30
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 31
and after July 1, 2026. 32