Creates the "Missouri Disabled Veterans' Dependents Tuition Waiver" to provide college tuition waivers for the children, stepchildren, and spouses of certain veterans

For a dependent who is the child or stepchild of such a veteran, the act specifies that the dependent shall be under 26 years old unless the dependent serves on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States, in which case the eligibility period shall be extended a maximum of five years, up to the dependent's 31st birthday.

The Missouri Veterans Commission shall work with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to implement the provisions of the act. The Missouri Veterans Commission shall ensure that the application process is accessible, transparent, and efficiently administered. The Executive Director of the Missouri Veterans Commission shall establish application procedures, determine applicants' eligibility, certify approved applicants, establish procedures for fraud prevention, and oversee program compliance and reporting, as provided in the act. The Executive Director shall work with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to facilitate communication with institutions, ensure proper implementation of the waivers, and maintain program efficiency. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall ensure consistent implementation of the act across all institutions, develop guidelines for institutions to process tuition waivers, and coordinate with the Missouri Veterans Commission to ensure seamless communication and prevent administrative delays for eligible applicants.

A tuition waiver shall be valid for one degree, diploma, or certificate from a community college and one baccalaureate degree from a state college or university. Receipt of a degree, diploma, or certificate from a community college shall precede receipt of a baccalaureate degree.

A recipient of a tuition waiver shall be ineligible for the Wartime Veteran's Survivors Grant Program, the Survivors of Vietnam Veterans Scholarship Program, and any other state-funded veteran-dependent tuition grant, waiver, or scholarship. A student who has previously received any such grant, waiver, or scholarship shall not be eligible to receive a tuition waiver, and a student shall not concurrently receive a tuition waiver and any other such grant, waiver, or scholarship.

A recipient of a tuition waiver may transfer from one institution to another without losing entitlement to the tuition waiver. If a recipient is granted financial assistance under any other student aid program, whether public or private, the full amount of such financial assistance shall be reported to the Missouri Veterans Commission and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

This act is identical to HB 2074 (2026) substantially similar to SB 716 (2025). OLIVIA SHANNON