SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 19

Educational Dollars for Duty Program
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SPONSOR
Alvarez, J.
FILED BY
Jose Alvarez — District 46, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
PROVIDED SUMMARY

Educational Dollars for Duty Program; Requires Educational Dollars for Duty program to set aside certain amount of funds to provide tuition assistance to spouses & children of active members of Florida National Guard; authorizes Legislature to increase amount of such funds; requires DMA to oversee implementation & enforcement of program; requiring DMA to establish certain procedures.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Sets aside $500,000 yearly for National Guard spouse and child tuition.

A new set-aside requires the Educational Dollars for Duty program to spend $500,000 of its existing funds every year on tuition assistance for spouses and children of active Florida National Guard members, covering up to half the tuition cost.

The Legislature may raise that $500,000 figure in the future 'as deemed necessary,' though the statute sets no ceiling, formula, or timetable for doing so.

The Department of Military Affairs must oversee the new benefit and write its own procedures for verifying who qualifies and how funds get distributed.

The bill also moves the existing Guard tuition program, previously part of section 250.10, into its own statute, section 250.101, without changing the benefits current service members already receive.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 New $500,000 tuition set-aside for military families majors. 250.101

AICreates a new subsection requiring the program to set aside $500,000 of its existing funds every year, dedicated to covering up to half the tuition cost for spouses and children of active Florida National Guard members.

“The Educational Dollars for Duty program shall set aside $500,000 of existing funds each fiscal year to provide financial assistance for up to 50 percent” bill text, line 174 →
§ 2 DMA must oversee enforcement and set procedures moderates. 250.101

AIAssigns the Department of Military Affairs responsibility for overseeing implementation and enforcement of the tuition set-aside, in addition to a separate duty to write eligibility and distribution procedures.

“The Department of Military Affairs shall oversee the implementation and enforcement of this subsection.” bill text, line 180 →
§ 3 Legislature can raise the set-aside without further statute change technicals. 250.101

AIStates that the $500,000 figure 'may be increased by the Legislature as deemed necessary,' letting lawmakers raise the set-aside without setting any ceiling, formula, or process for how much or when.

“The amount set aside may be increased by the Legislature as deemed necessary.” bill text, line 178 →
TIMELINE
10/14/2025
Withdrawn prior to introduction
10/1/2025
Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
10/1/2025
Referred to State Affairs Committee
10/1/2025
Referred to Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee
10/1/2025
Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
9/15/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 250.10
+14 / −0
s. 250.10
+90 / −0
s. 250.10
+0 / −0