PANAMA CITY — Florida made a push to be the most military friendly state in the nation Monday by creating a $22.2 million law designed to create educational and professional opportunities for returning military members.
Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford joined local leaders and veterans to sign the bill into law Monday during a ceremony at the National Guard Armory.
The bill establishes the Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program that will waive out-of-state tuition fees for honorably discharged veterans who enroll in Florida colleges, universities and career centers, and it expands the employment preference for veterans.
It also appropriates money for base buffering and armory modernization, and it creates Florida is for Veterans, Inc., which will promote Florida as a home for veterans, provide workforce training and connect returning veterans with employers.
“Making sure our men and women in uniform can find jobs when they return home is critical,” Scott said.
Gaetz pointed to Panama City’s Sgt. Carter Hess, who was seriously injured in an explosion while serving in the Army in Afghanistan, as an example of people who will benefit from the bill.
“We’re going to make sure that the Carter Hesses who have come back from these wars are treated better than any veteran since World War II,” Gaetz said.
Weatherford called it a historic day for Florida.
“Governor, I am extremely excited to watch you sign what I think will be the most important bill that will pass this legislative session,” Weatherford said.
Naval Support Activity Panama City is one of three installations statewide benefiting from more than $7.4 million to fund additional base buffering. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will spend part of that amount on the county-owned Barefoot Palms development next to the Navy Base, Bay County Spokeswoman Valerie Sale said.
Florida is home to 1.5 million veterans, 61,000 active duty military personnel and approximately 12,000 members of the Florida National Guard. Sale said NSAPC alone has contributes $400 million annually to the economy and employs approximately 3,100 military and civilian personnel.
County Commissioner Guy Tunnell said Bay County is socially, economically and politically shaped by its deep military history.
“Obviously, judging by the crowd, it’s an important bill, not just for the entire state but for our community,” Tunnell said.