As Vice Chair of the Veterans Caucus, it is my honor to go to work everyday fighting for my brothers and sisters in arms, and all of Florida's Veterans. We are pushing dozens of Veteran-friendly bills that will ensure Florida remains the most Veteran friendly state in the nation. Here is a snapshot of what I've been working on:

HB 45 will help our returning Veterans unlock the best education in the nation, right here in Florida. The bill waives tuition and fees for disabled Veterans, who have already paid a dear price to our state and the nation they served.

We trust our corpsmen and medics in the field with life saving healthcare, and HB 131 will recognize their training and education with an expedited pipeline to fill critically vacated healthcare positions in the state. The bill creates educational pathways and reduces red tape for returning servicemen entering healthcare positions. 

Last year I was proud to sponsor Purple Star Campuses which helps parents choose the military friendly school that's best for their child. HB 153 goes further and reauthorizes the Interstate Compact for Military Children, ensuring that military kids can transition seamlessly in and out of the Sunshine State.

Florida has one of the most active National Guards in the Nation, but the Florida National Guard is one of the smallest, ranking 53rd out of the 54 states and territories. Despite being surrounded by coastlines, we have the same number of troops as Alabama (12,000), who have 17 million LESS residents than Florida. HM 505 urges our congressional delegation to reallocate and strengthen our National Guard so we are better prepared to fight against storms, climate change, and enemies yet unseen.

HB 559 helps military spouses keep their careers by easing the licensing requirements for transitioning into Florida. The spouse of a servicemember should be able to practice their profession with less government red tape as they arrive at Macdill Airforce Base.

HB 573, Boots to classrooms for Florida, would help make it easier for returning service members to get into the teaching profession. It eases the educational requirements during a transitional period when the Veteran would be required to teach under a peer-mentor, pass their subject specific tests, and finish their education. It's designed to help ease the transition into teaching so we can help Veterans transition, and fill critically vacant positions at the same time.

Veteran suicide is the epidemic that I’ve been trying to address since last year. HB 1315 by Representative Diamond would train Veteran service members how to provide the proper care that they need. Veteran service officers are the first point of contact for Veterans in crisis. By providing Veteran service officers with the training to recognize the signs and assist Vets throughout any stage of a personal crisis, this legislation ensures no individual gets overlooked when providing care.

We're not done yet! In addition to these, I have projects including a business incubator for Veteran-owned companies, a adaptive sports complex for amputees and  Paralympic athletes, and mental healthcare for Veterans. Together, we will build upon our successes and keep Florida the most  Veteran friendly state in the Nation!