IL SB1255

Amends Section 30-14.2 of the School Code to modify residency requirements for MIA/POW Scholarship eligibility, allowing veterans or servicepersons who are current Illinois residents and were residents for at least 15 consecutive years after leaving service to qualify, replacing the previous 30-year continuous residency requirement.

Establishes a new grant transfer program under the Illinois Veteran Grant Program beginning in the 2019-2020 academic year, allowing qualified dependents (spouses and children ages 18-25) of eligible veterans to receive up to 120 credit hours of tuition and fee assistance.

Permits grant transfers to dependents of veterans who have served at least 6 years of federal active duty plus 2 years of Reserve service and have no federal veterans' educational benefits exceeding the state grant value, or who meet enhanced eligibility due to service-related death, POW status, missing in action status, or 90-100% disability rating.

Allows veterans with 90-100% service-connected disability ratings or total disability determinations to transfer benefits to dependents without maintaining Illinois residency, while other transferring veterans must be Illinois residents during the dependent's enrollment.

Effective date: July 1, 2019.