A bill filed at the Capitol would grant in-state tuition at Florida colleges and universities to honorably-discharged veterans of the US Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserve.
Currently, only vets whose service was at a base in Florida, or within fifty miles of the state line, are eligible for the lower-cost tuition. But the bill's sponsors say many veterans have no real home state, since they're transferred regularly throughout their military careers.
State Representative Heather Fitzenhagen says when someone serves in the armed forces, they're serving every state."So I think they should have the opportunity to go to the state after their service, and not have to wait the year residency in order to avail themselves of the opportunity to educate and move on with their lives after they’ve committed so much to us", Fitzenhagen said.
Currently, students are required to live in Florida for a full year before being eligible for in-state tuition.
The law would only apply to the actual veteran, and not his or her family.
The tuition savings would be more than $10,000 annually.