The bill amends the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program by lowering the minimum disability rating required for dependents of disabled veterans to qualify for educational benefits, now set at 30% or more. It introduces a new section, §31-6-11.1, which establishes a pilot program to admit additional dependents of certain disabled veterans into the scholarship program. The bill also includes technical amendments, such as changing "armed forces" to "Armed Forces" and updating "Veterans' Administration" to "Department of Veterans Affairs." Furthermore, it clarifies educational benefits, including tuition reimbursement limits and compliance with Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.

Additionally, the bill requires qualifying schools to release personally identifiable information to the State Department of Veterans' Affairs for eligibility determinations and reporting. It restores lost benefit time for dependents affected by accidents or illnesses and allows dependents of veterans who received a final disability award of at least 20% after May 23, 2017, to apply for benefits within six months. The new section also permits dependents of veterans who were not permanent residents of Alabama for at least one year before service to receive benefits starting January 1, 2026, under specific conditions. The program is limited to 100 dependents annually and will expire on December 31, 2027, unless extended by the Legislature, with the act taking effect on June 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 31-6-4, 31-6-6, 31-6-9
Engrossed: 31-6-4, 31-6-6, 31-6-9