Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2431 *SS26/R767* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS26/R767
PAGE 1 (rdd\tb)
To: Universities and
Colleges
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Tate
SENATE BILL NO. 2431
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-106-41, TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF 1
TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO ESTABLISH A 2
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FUNDED BY LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION UNDER 3
WHICH CERTAIN VETERANS SHALL RECEIVE FREE TUITION AT 4
STATE-SUPPORTED UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES BASED ON ONE 5
MONTH FREE TUITION FOR EACH MONTH SERVED DURING A QUALIFYING 6
PERIOD; TO ESTABLISH THE COMBAT VETERAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN THE 7
STATE TREASURY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. Section 37-106-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 10
amended as follows: 11
37-106-41. (1) If any member of the armed services, whose 12
official house of record and residence is within the State of 13
Mississippi, is officially reported as being either a prisoner of 14
war or missing in action in Southeast Asia or has been a prisoner 15
of a foreign government as the result of a military action against 16
the United States naval vessel, Pueblo, his child or children 17
shall be entitled to an eight-semester scholarship without cost, 18
exclusive of books, food, school supplies, materials and dues or 19
fees for extracurricular activities at any state-supported college 20
or university of his choice within this state. However, no child 21
S. B. No. 2431 *SS26/R767* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R767
PAGE 2 (rdd\tb)
will be entitled to receive benefits during any semester or 22
quarter when said child has reached the age of twenty-three (23) 23
years on the first day of the semester or quarter. 24
(2) The provisions of this section shall apply to the child 25
or children of any member of the armed services who is officially 26
reported as being either a prisoner of war or missing in action in 27
Southeast Asia whose spouse was a resident of this state for a 28
period of not less than ten (10) years during her minority and is 29
a resident or physically resides within this state and does 30
continually reside within this state at the time of enrollment and 31
during the enrollment, and is a resident or physically resides 32
within this state as of April 9, 1973. 33
(3) It is further provided that the provisions of this 34
section shall apply to the child or children of any person who was 35
a resident of this state at the time he was inducted into the 36
Armed Forces of the United States of America and who is either a 37
former prisoner of war or officially reported as being a prisoner 38
of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia and who, or his 39
spouse if she was a resident of this state for a period of not 40
less than ten (10) years during her minority, is a resident of 41
this state and at the time of enrollment and during the enrollment 42
of his child or children at any state-supported college or 43
university in this state resided or resides in this state. 44
(4) Any applicant qualified and desiring a scholarship under 45
this section shall apply in writing to the board. The board shall 46
S. B. No. 2431 *SS26/R767* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R767
PAGE 3 (rdd\tb)
make inquiries into each such application and shall make the 47
investigation as it deems proper to establish and validate all 48
claims made under this section before a scholarship is granted. 49
(5) In addition to the scholarship prescribed in subsections 50
(1) through (4), the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 51
Higher Learning shall establish a scholarship program, subject to 52
appropriation by the Legislature, allowing veterans who have 53
served in a combat zone or have a service-connected disability to 54
receive scholarship tuition grants on a month-to-month basis at 55
state-supported universities and community colleges. 56
(a) To qualify, veterans must: 57
(i) Be a Mississippi resident; 58
(ii) Have been honorably discharged; 59
(iii) Qualify for in-state tuition; 60
(iv) Not be eligible for federal educational 61
benefits; and 62
(v) Have served on active duty during a wartime 63
period and received a campaign medal for combat operations outside 64
the U.S.; or 65
(vi) Have a service-connected disability rating of 66
ten percent (10%) or more. 67
(b) Eligible veterans may receive a one-month 68
scholarship grant for each month served during a qualifying 69
period. Veterans may receive a minimum of one (1) academic year 70
and a maximum of four (4) academic years of scholarship grants. 71
S. B. No. 2431 *SS26/R767* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R767
PAGE 4 (rdd\tb)
ST: Waive tuition for certain veterans to
attend universities or community colleges;
establish program for combat veterans.
(c) To apply, veterans may apply to their selected 72
school's financial aid office or the Mississippi Army National 73
Guard Education Service Office. 74
(d) Scholarships to veterans under this subsection (5) 75
shall be subject to specific appropriation therefor by the 76
Legislature. There is hereby created in the State Treasury the 77
Combat Veteran Scholarship Fund to be comprised of funds 78
appropriated by the Legislature or provided from other sources for 79
the purpose of making scholarship grants available to veterans 80
under this subsection (5). The appropriation to the Combat 81
Veteran Scholarship Fund shall not exceed Five Hundred Thousand 82
Dollars ($500,000.00) in any fiscal year. 83
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 84
and after July 1, 2026. 85