State Rep. Daisy Morales wins big bipartisan vote on ‘Disabled Veterans Bill’, heads to House floor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – After months of debating, a bill (CS/HB 45) to allow Educational Opportunities for Disabled Veterans passed through four House committees unanimously: Local Administration & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Post-Secondary Education & Lifelong Learning Subcommittee, Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee and finally, the State Affairs Committee on Monday.

Orlando Democratic State Representative Daisy Morales is the bill sponsor and Miami Gardens Democratic State Representative Christopher Benjamin is the bill prime sponsor. These freshman lawmakers scored a big win for disabled veterans with unanimous bipartisan approval of CS/HB 45.

The bill provides a fee waiver for the remaining tuition and fees not covered by the GI Bill for educational benefits.  This bill would allow those veterans who are deemed eligible the opportunity to receive awards for remaining cost of tuition & fees at State Universities, Career Centers, Charter Technical Career Centers and Florida College System Institutions. 

The bill will now head to the House floor.

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

Representative Christopher Benjamin had this to say, “Today we fought for Florida veterans who have been disabled as a result of being deployed to have their full tuition paid. As a veteran this bill is personal for me and fills me up with happiness to see it pass unanimously in its final committee.”

Tampa Democratic State Senator Janet Cruz is the companion bill sponsor CS/SB 554. The bill cleared two Senate committees and heads to its final committee, the Senate Appropriation committee.