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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to tuition waivers; amending s. 1009.26,

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F.S.; requiring state universities and community colleges

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to waive a percentage of the in-state tuition rate for

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veterans who meet specified criteria; providing a

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percentage cap on the number of required credit hours for

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which a tuition waiver may be received; providing for

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funding; providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Subsection (11) is added to section 1009.26,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     1009.26  Fee waivers.--

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     (11)(a) A state university or community college shall waive

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50 percent of the in-state tuition rate for a person who:

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     1. Is an honorably discharged veteran;

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     2. Has received a campaign or service medal denoting

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service in a combat theater of operations, including, but not

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limited to, service in Iraq and Afghanistan and service in

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support of the Global War on Terrorism;

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     3. Is enrolled as a full-time, part-time, or summer-school

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student in an undergraduate program that terminates in a degree

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or certificate;

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     4. Is a resident of this state at the time he or she

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applies for the waiver and was a resident of this state at the

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time of the military action that resulted in the awarding of the

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campaign or service medal; and

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     5. Submits to the state university or to the community

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college the DD-214 form issued at the time of separation from

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service as documentation that the student has received a Global

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War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or

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Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

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     (b) A waiver under this subsection may be applied to 110

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percent of the number of required credit hours of the degree or

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certificate program for which the student is enrolled.

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     (c) Waivers under this subsection shall be funded through

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the legislative budget process and state universities and

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community colleges are not responsible for paying the costs of

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such waivers.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.