HB 1361 2025
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hb1361-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to veterans' assistance; creating s. 2
295.235, F.S.; requiring the Department of Veterans' 3
Affairs, subject to appropriation, to expand programs 4
connecting veterans and their families and survivors 5
to certain services, benefits, and support; requiring 6
the department to host public events for such purpose; 7
requiring the department to submit an annual report to 8
the Governor and Legislature; providing an effective 9
date. 10
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WHEREAS, Florida offers its population of 1.4 million 12
veterans unique benefits, such as in -state tuition rates for 13
veterans and their families using the Post -9/11 GI Bill, several 14
layers of property tax exemptions, and expanded ve terans' 15
preference, including extensive benefits and licensure and fee 16
waivers, for many activities and occupations, and 17
WHEREAS, veterans' benefits and services provided by the 18
State of Florida are meant to complement and augment available 19
federal programs to avoid duplication of effort and unnecessary 20
state expense for a federally funded service or benefit, and 21
WHEREAS, with only 749,000 Florida veterans enrolled in 22
earned health care services from the United States Department of 23
Veterans Affairs, hundr eds of thousands of the state's veterans 24
and their families are not taking advantage of earned federal, 25
HB 1361 2025
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hb1361-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
state, and local services, benefits, and support, and 26
WHEREAS, while Department of Veterans' Affairs veterans' 27
claims examiners assisted more than 245, 000 veterans in 28
providing information and counsel on earned services, benefits, 29
and support by the end of fiscal year 2024, additional federal 30
dollars for Florida veterans remain untouched due to a lack of 31
awareness, and 32
WHEREAS, a corresponding increase in the quality and 33
quantity of outreach opportunities linking veterans with earned 34
benefits through the Department of Veterans' Affairs will not 35
only increase the quality of life for Florida veterans and their 36
families, but provide additional federal dolla rs to bolster 37
local economies, NOW, THEREFORE, 38
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 40
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Section 1. Section 295.235, Florida Statutes, is created 42
to read: 43
295.235 Funds for promoting veteran assistance. — 44
(1) Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature of 45
$500,000 in nonrecurring funds , the Department of Veterans' 46
Affairs shall enhance and expand its Internet -based, mobile 47
application, printed, social media, and in -person outreach 48
programs through various means for the purpose of connecting 49
veterans, their families, and their survivors with earned 50
HB 1361 2025
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
services, benefits, and support beyond existing underfunded 51
efforts. 52
(2) Using appropriated funds, the department must host at 53
least two public events each year to disseminate inform ation to 54
in-person and virtual attendees regarding benefits and services 55
available to veterans, including, but not limited to, 56
educational, medical, insurance, and disability benefits. 57
(3) The department must submit an annual report to the 58
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 59
House of Representatives which includes the number of public 60
events hosted by the department, the number of attendees at each 61
such event, and any other information deemed necessary by the 62
department. 63
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 64