This bill proposes updates to current statutes regarding tuition waivers for the children or dependents of U.S. Armed Forces members with a disability rating of 30% or more. Under the new provisions, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) and community college districts would be required to provide tuition waiver scholarships to eligible individuals, expanding the eligibility criteria to include those who are Arizona residents or were stationed in Arizona at the time of their injury. The bill also establishes the "Dependents of Military Personnel Tuition Scholarship Fund," which would be administered by ABOR and continuously appropriated, exempting it from lapsing provisions.

Additionally, the bill specifies that eligible dependents must meet certain criteria, including being 30 years old or younger, not having a felony conviction, and being enrolled as a full-time student. It also sets limits on the number of credit hours that can be obtained at community colleges and requires documentation from the Department of Veterans' Services to verify eligibility. The bill appropriates $15,000,000 from the state general fund for the fiscal year 2026-2027 to support this scholarship fund.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-1808
House Engrossed Version: 15-1808, 15-1809.03, 15-1401, 15-1809, 38-844, 36-2205