Veterans (Veteran Benefits) in Mississippi

died · Mississippi · Senate Apr 15, 2026

SR 58: Urge U.S. Congress to pass the "Major Richard Star Act."

This Senate resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow veterans with disabilities to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation without any reduction. Currently, federal law reduces one benefit dollar-for-dollar against the other for veterans medically retired with fewer than 20 years of service, affecting approximately 50,000 veterans. The proposed legislation would eliminate this offset, enabling eligible veterans to collect both types of benefits simultaneously. The resolution directs this request to federal leaders and the Mississippi congressional delegation for consideration.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition National Guard & Reserve Veteran Benefits

died · Mississippi · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 3114: Car tags; allow a veteran to receive regular or military tag at no cost, or special tag at cost only of additional fee.

This bill allows honorably discharged U.S. military veterans to receive vehicle license tags at no cost. Specifically, veterans presenting a valid DD Form 214 can get one regular or military license tag without any fee, or a special/personalized tag only for the standard additional fee. It applies to all veterans meeting the discharge criteria, with households containing multiple veterans eligible for separate tags (each requiring their own DD Form 214). The bill amends Mississippi's vehicle registration codes to implement this exemption, directly affecting veterans seeking cost-free or low-cost license tags.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

signed · Mississippi · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 3101: Appropriation; Veterans Affairs Board.

SB 3101 appropriates $5,940,191 from the State General Fund and $22,189,165 from special funds to cover the salaries and operating expenses of Mississippi's State Veterans Affairs Board and State Veterans Homes for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). The bill specifically allocates $4,941,898 for "Personal Services" (salaries, wages, and benefits), restricting these funds to 39 permanent and 25 time-limited staff positions without transfer to other budget categories. It mandates that "Vacancy Funding" ($236,833) must only fill unfilled positions from the prior year, not fund promotions or salary increases for current employees. The bill also requires compliance with Mississippi's Variable Compensation Plan and prohibits using general funds to replace federal or special funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

signed · Mississippi · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 1076: Preserving Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans Act of 2026 (PLUS Act); create.

HB 1076, the "Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment (SAVE) Act," regulates private individuals or companies that assist veterans with benefits claims. It directly affects veterans seeking help with VA benefits and the advisors who charge for such services. Key provisions include banning upfront or nonrefundable fees, requiring written agreements that cap fees at five times any monthly benefit increase, prohibiting guarantees of specific outcomes, and mandating clear disclosures that free VA or state services are available. The bill also restricts advisors from using veterans' personal login credentials and requires background checks for anyone accessing veterans' medical or financial information.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

died · Mississippi · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 2668: "Preserving Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans Act"; provide restrictions on persons assisting with claims.

SB 2668, the "Preserving Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans Act of 2026" (PLUS Act), regulates paid assistance with veterans' benefit claims in Mississippi. It prohibits charging fees for such services unless the veteran signs a waiver acknowledging they’re within the one-year post-discharge period and choosing to deny free VA services. The bill requires written agreements with clear fee terms (capped at 5x monthly benefit increase or $12,500), bans upfront fees, mandates a specific disclosure about free VA services, and prohibits using veterans’ personal data without consent. It directly affects veterans seeking claim assistance and businesses/individuals offering paid services, while exempting VA-accredited representatives. Violations can result in civil penalties under Mississippi’s Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

died · Mississippi · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2669: Veterans assistance; prohibit unethical collection of fees in veterans benefits matters.

SB 2669 prohibits anyone from charging fees for assisting veterans with benefits claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or Mississippi’s State Veterans Affairs Board. It directly affects veterans seeking benefits and individuals or organizations offering such assistance, banning compensation for preparing, presenting, or advising on these claims. The bill requires these helpers to follow the same ethical standards as licensed attorneys (covering confidentiality, honesty, and client duty), and violations would be treated as deceptive trade practices under Mississippi law, allowing the Attorney General to pursue enforcement. This aims to prevent exploitation of veterans navigating complex benefits systems.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

died · Mississippi · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2413: "Disabled Veteran and Dependents Patriot Scholarship Program"; establish under IHL Board.

SB 2413 establishes Mississippi's "Disabled Veteran and Dependents Patriot Scholarship Program," providing tuition and fee waivers at state colleges and universities for eligible veterans and their families. It directly affects disabled veterans (with 40%+ service-connected disability, POW/MIA status, or death in service) and their dependents (spouses, children, or stepchildren), covering in-state tuition, required books, and fees up to state limits. Key provisions include residency requirements, benefit durations (5 years for 100% disabled veterans' dependents, 3 years for 40-90% disabled veterans' spouses), and new 2026 rules requiring FAFSA submission and a $2,000 semester cap on fees. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

died · Mississippi · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 375: Disabled veterans; establish right to appeal in forma pauperis in certain cases.

HB 375 would allow disabled veterans to appeal court decisions without paying fees if the case involves collecting debts from their disability benefits (from VA, Social Security, or other sources) or if they were already permitted to proceed without fees in the trial court. To qualify, veterans must file a motion with an affidavit confirming their disabled veteran status. If denied at trial, they could appeal the denial to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, attaching the trial court's written reasoning. The bill specifically protects veterans whose disability benefits are targeted for collection, ensuring they aren't barred from appealing due to inability to pay court costs. (Note: The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.)

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

died · Mississippi · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2670: "Veterans' Assistance Lottery"; establish under Mississippi Lottery Corporation.

SB 2670 would create a special "Veterans' Assistance Lottery" using paper-based instant tickets sold through Mississippi's existing lottery system. Proceeds from ticket sales would fund veterans' programs by depositing money into a dedicated state fund managed by the Mississippi Veterans' Affairs Board. The Mississippi Lottery Corporation would operate the game, set ticket prices and payouts, and market it to clearly show buyers their purchases support veterans. The bill specifies the game must be paper-based (not video lottery) and requires ticket labeling to indicate funds benefit veterans.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits

died · Mississippi · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2836: Taxes; allow disabled veterans to recapture payments between disability effective date and receipt of VA's decision letter.

This bill would allow Mississippi disabled veterans who received a VA disability determination to get a refund for property taxes paid between their disability's effective date and when they received the VA decision letter. Veterans would need to submit the VA letter within 60 days to the Department of Revenue for a rebate, paid from current tax collections. The refund would not count as taxable income under Mississippi law. The bill also permits veterans to revise past tax returns affected by the disability determination.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

All veterans bills