"Disabled Veteran and Dependents Patriot Scholarship Program"; establish under IHL Board.

SB 2058 established the "Disabled Veteran and Dependents Patriot Scholarship Program" to provide tuition and fee waivers at Mississippi public colleges and universities for eligible veterans and their families. It directly affects disabled veterans (with service-connected disabilities rated 40% or higher, POW/MIA status, or service-related death) and their dependents, offering up to five years of in-state tuition coverage based on the veteran's disability rating (5 years for 100% disabled veterans, 3 years for 40-90% rated). Key provisions include new residency requirements (1 year prior to military service, with exceptions), a $2,000 semester cap on fees/textbooks starting July 2025, and age limits for dependents (26 for children, up to 30 for some cases). The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and is not currently law.