Bill on Educational Opportunities for Disabled Veterans Passes Second House Committee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – Legislation seeking to provide disabled veterans with affordable higher education is moving through the Florida House after it cleared its second committee stop.

The sponsor, State Representative Daisy Morales, (D-Orlando) made her case Wednesday morning for her bill to help disabled veterans afford higher education. House Bill 1347, the Educational Opportunities for Disable Veterans, passed the High Education Appropriations Subcommittee with unanimous support among committee members.

Rep. Morales won bipartisan support from Representatives Christopher Benjamin (D-Miami Gardens), Kevin Chambliss (D-Homestead), and Sam Killebrew (R-Winter Heaven), who added their names to HB 1347.

The bill ensures disabled veterans receiving certain federal educational assistance benefits are eligible to receive an award for the remaining cost of tuition and fees at state universities and Florida College System institutions.

“It’s great to work as partners to help disabled veterans with educational opportunities to eliminate challenges they face when they have given so much for our country and allow them to support their families,” Morales said. 

The bill now heads to its final committee, the House State Affairs committee.

State Senator Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), filed a companion bill, SB 782. In March, the bill passed 5-0 in the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security committee.