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  HB 19  2026
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the Educational Dollars for Duty
3program; providing a short title; transferring,
4renumbering, and amending s. 250.10(7) and (8), F.S.;
5requiring the program to set aside a certain amount of
6funds to provide tuition assistance to spouses and
7children of active members of the Florida National
8Guard; authorizing the Legislature to increase the
9amount of such funds; requiring the Department of
10Military Affairs to oversee implementation and
11enforcement of the program; requiring the department
12to establish certain procedures; providing an
13effective date.
14
15WHEREAS, members of the Florida National Guard who are
16deployed to respond to emergencies are frequently taken away
17from their families for significant periods of time, and
18WHEREAS, a National Guard member's overseas deployments and
19service during natural disasters can often leave the member's
20family disadvantaged without the relied-upon support of the
21family member while the member is away serving Florida or our
22nation, and
23WHEREAS, providing educational support to the families of
24National Guard members will offer significant relief and support
25to these dedicated individuals, NOW, THEREFORE,
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26
27    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Educational
30    Dollars for Duty Program Expansion Act."
31Section 2.  Present subsections (7) and (8) of section
32    250.10, Florida Statutes, are transferred and renumbered as
33    section 250.101, Florida Statutes, and subsection (3) is added
34    to that section, to read:
35250.101       Educational Dollars for Duty program.—
36(1)(7)       The Adjutant General shall develop an education
37    assistance program for members in good standing of the Florida
38    National Guard who enroll in an authorized course of study at a
39    public or nonpublic postsecondary institution or technical
40    center in the state which has been accredited by an accrediting
41    body recognized by the United States Department of Education or
42    licensed by the Commission for Independent Education. Education
43    assistance also may be used for training to obtain industry
44    certifications approved by the Department of Education pursuant
45    to s. 1008.44 and continuing education to maintain license
46    certifications. The education assistance program shall be known
47    as the Educational Dollars for Duty program (EDD).
48(a)      The program shall establish application requirements,
49    including, but not limited to, requirements that the applicant:
501.      Be 17 years of age or older.
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512.      Be presently domiciled in the state.
523.      Be an active drilling member and in good standing in
53    the Florida National Guard at the beginning of and throughout
54    the entire academic term for which benefits are received.
554.      Maintain continuous satisfactory participation in the
56    Florida National Guard for the school term for which benefits
57    are received.
585.      Upon enrollment in the program, complete a memorandum
59    of agreement to:
60a.      Comply with the rules of the program.
61b.      Serve in the Florida National Guard for the period
62    specified in the member's enlistment or reenlistment contract.
63c.      Authorize the release of information pursuant to
64    subparagraph (d)6. by the postsecondary institution or technical
65    center to the education service office of the Department of
66    Military Affairs, subject to applicable federal and state law.
67(b)      The program shall define those members of the Florida
68    National Guard who are ineligible to participate in the program
69    and those courses of study which are not authorized for the
70    program.
711.      Ineligible members include, but are not limited to, a
72    member, commissioned officer, warrant officer, or enlisted
73    person who has obtained a master's degree using the program.
742.      Inactive members of the Florida National Guard and
75    members of the Individual Ready Reserve are not eligible to
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76     participate in the program.
773.      Courses not authorized include noncredit courses,
78     courses that do not meet degree requirements, courses that do
79     not meet requirements for completion of career training, or
80     other courses as determined by program definitions.
814.      The program may not pay repeat course fees.
82(c)      The program may include, but is not limited to:
831.      Courses at a public or nonpublic postsecondary
84     institution or technical center in the state which is accredited
85     by an accrediting body recognized by the United States
86     Department of Education or licensed by the Commission for
87     Independent Education.
882.      Training to obtain industry certifications, limited to
89     certifications approved by the Department of Education under s.
90     1008.44.
913.      Continuing education to maintain a license or
92     certification. Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)1., members who
93     have obtained a master's degree using the program are eligible
94     for funding under this subparagraph.
954.      Licensing and industry certification examination fees.
96     Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)1., members who have obtained a
97     master's degree using the program are eligible for funding under
98     this subparagraph.
995.      Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)3., developmental
100    educational courses.
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101(d)      The Adjutant General shall adopt rules for the overall
102    policy, guidance, administration, implementation, and proper use
103    of the program. Such rules must include, but need not be limited
104    to:
1051.      Guidelines for certification by the Adjutant General of
106    a guard member's eligibility.
1072.      Procedures for notification to a postsecondary
108    institution or technical center of a guard member's termination
109    of eligibility.
1103.      Guidelines for approving courses of study that are
111    authorized for the program, including online courses, industry
112    certification training, and continuing education to maintain
113    license certifications.
1144.      Guidelines for approving the use of program funds for
115    licensing and industry certification examination fees.
1165.      Procedures for restitution when a guard member fails to
117    comply with the penalties described in this section.
1186.      Procedures that require a public or nonpublic
119    postsecondary institution or technical center that receives
120    funding from the program to provide information regarding course
121    enrollment, course withdrawal, course cancellation, course
122    completion, course failure, and grade verification of enrolled
123    members to the education service office of the Department of
124    Military Affairs.
1257.      Guidelines for the payment of tuition and fees, not to
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126    exceed the highest in-state tuition rate charged by a public
127    postsecondary institution in the state.
128(2)(8)       Subject to appropriations, the Department of
129    Military Affairs may pay the full cost of tuition and fees for
130    required courses for current members of the Florida National
131    Guard. Members are eligible to use the program upon enlistment
132    in the Florida National Guard. If a member is enrolled in a
133    nonpublic postsecondary education institution or a nonpublic
134    vocational-technical program, the Department of Military Affairs
135    shall pay an amount that may not exceed the rate of the highest
136    in-state tuition and fees at a public postsecondary education
137    institution or public vocational-technical program.
138(a)      The Adjutant General shall give preference and
139    priority to eligible members who have deployed on federal
140    military orders while a member of the Florida National Guard.
141(b)      The Department of Military Affairs may reimburse a
142    member for student textbook and instructional material costs in
143    accordance with limits set each fiscal year based on funding
144    availability and regardless of the source of tuition funding,
145    but only after tuition and fees for all eligible members are
146    paid for that fiscal year.
147(c)      Penalties for noncompliance with program requirements
148    include, but are not limited to, the following:
1491.      If a member of the Florida National Guard receives
150    payment of tuition and fees for an academic term and fails to
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151    maintain satisfactory participation in the Florida National
152    Guard during that academic term, the member shall reimburse the
153    Department of Military Affairs all tuition charges and student
154    fees for the academic term for which the member received
155    payment.
1562.      If a member of the Florida National Guard leaves the
157    Florida National Guard during the period specified in the
158    member's enlistment or reenlistment contract, the member shall
159    reimburse the Department of Military Affairs all tuition charges
160    and student fees for which the member received payments,
161    regardless of whether the obligation to reimburse the department
162    was incurred before, on, or after July 1, 2009, unless the
163    Adjutant General finds that there are justifiable extenuating
164    circumstances.
1653.      If the service of a member of the Florida National
166    Guard is terminated or the member is placed on scholastic
167    probation while receiving payments, the member shall reimburse
168    the Department of Military Affairs all tuition charges and
169    student fees for the academic term for which the member received
170    payment.
1714.      If a member defaults on any reimbursement made under
172    this paragraph, the department may charge the member the maximum
173    interest rate authorized by law.
174(3)(a)       The Educational Dollars for Duty program shall set
175    aside $500,000 of existing funds each fiscal year to provide
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176    financial assistance for up to 50 percent of the cost of tuition
177    to spouses and children of active members of the Florida
178    National Guard. The amount set aside may be increased by the
179    Legislature as deemed necessary.
180(b)     The Department of Military Affairs shall oversee the
181    implementation and enforcement of this subsection. The
182    department shall establish procedures for verifying eligibility
183    and distributing funds.
184Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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