This bill aims to waive tuition and fees for the spouse and children of Gold Star recipients—individuals who have lost their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It amends existing laws related to the waiver of room and board fees and tuition within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and career technology districts. Specifically, it adds provisions to ensure that no resident or nonresident tuition will be charged to the spouse or children of a Gold Star recipient, provided that the recipient was a legal resident of Oklahoma at the time of death or that the spouse or child maintains residency in Oklahoma during their enrollment.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing statutes to include the spouse and children of Gold Star recipients alongside other groups, such as children of deceased peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, who are already eligible for tuition waivers. The waivers are limited to a period of five years and are intended as service benefits for the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.