Gov. Rick Scott signed the first substantive bill of the session Monday, creating a program that will waive out-of-state tuition fees for military veterans.

Creates Florida is for Veterans, Inc., a corporation tasked with promoting Florida to retired and recently separated service members.

The “Florida G.I. Bill” also will connect veterans to potential employers, and pump money into continuing education and industry certification programs for active service members.

Scott, who served in the Navy, said he hoped the legislation would make Florida “the most military-friendly state” in the nation.

The proposal (HB 7015) won unanimous support in both chambers in March.

Lawmakers were particularly proud of the tuition waiver program, which is named in memory of U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young.

Under current law, veterans who are not Florida residents must pay out-of-state rates, which can be four times what residents pay.

The measure is expected to cost the state $11.7 million.

The new law also:

  • Increases funding for the Educational Dollars for Duty program, which seeks to enhance the education level of Florida National Guard members.Creates Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., a corporation tasked with promoting Florida to retired and recently separated service members.
  • Encourages government entities to hire veterans, as well as current members of the reserves and the Florida National Guard, and the parents and spouses of service members who died in combat.
  • Allows private businesses to create hiring practices that give preference to veterans and the spouses of disabled or deceased veterans.
  • Helps healthcare professionals who received an honorable discharge to practice in Florida.
  • Removes the one-year residency requirement so that veterans living in Florida can have immediate access to vacancies at state nursing homes.
  • Provides $12.5 million in funding for armories, and $7.5 million to acquire lands around three military installations: Naval Support Activity Panama City, Naval Station Mayport and MacDill Air Force Base.

About Veterans Florida

Veterans Florida is a non-profit created by the State of Florida to help military veterans and their families transition to civilian life and to promote Florida’s status as the nation’s most veteran-friendly state under Florida’s Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) Program. Veterans Florida is also the state’s designated DOD SkillBridge assistance organization. Our mission can be summed up in the theme – Your Pursuit. Our Power. – because we recognize military veterans are incredibly focused and will succeed in achieving their personal and professional goals when they take advantage of our tools and resources. Visit veteransflorida.org for more information and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for updates on veteran opportunities in Florida.