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RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PASS HB 7015 OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXPAND EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES

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WHEREAS, this Board expresses its gratitude for the courageous sacrifices that veterans and their families have made for this country and recognizes the positive contribution that veterans have on our community by their example of public service; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida has the honor of being home to more than 1.5 million veterans; and
WHEREAS, Florida also has more than 61,000 active duty military personnel and approximately 25,000 civilian personnel directly associated with the U.S. military; and
WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard has approximately 12,000 members; and
WHEREAS, the military installations and defense businesses located in Florida provide a $73 billion annual economic impact to the state and account for more than 758,000 direct and indirect jobs in Florida; and
WHEREAS, the House Veteran & Military Affairs Subcommittee recently filed HB 7015 for consideration during the 2014 session, which would expand education and employment opportunities to military veterans; and
WHEREAS, for example, HB 7015 would expand veterans� preferences in employment statutes�including the preference that applies to Miami-Dade County employment�to now include all veterans, and not just wartime and disabled veterans, as well as members of the Florida National Guard and the United States Armed Forces Reserves and also the mother, father, legal guardian, or unremarried widow(er) of a servicemember who died as a result of military service; and
WHEREAS, HB 7015 would also appropriate $5 million in recurring funds to the Florida Department of Military Affairs to pay the tuition and fees for deployed Florida National Guard members at a state university or Florida College System institution; and
WHEREAS, HB 7015 also creates the �Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program,� which waives out-of-state fees for honorably discharged veterans to attend state colleges and universities; and
WHEREAS, while there is no Senate companion bill similar to HB 7015 at this time, there are a number of Senate bills that include provisions contained in HB 7015, such as SB 84 by Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater), SB 140 by Senator Rob Bradley (R � Orange Park), SB 418 by Senator Maria Sachs (D � Delray Beach), and SB 970 by Senator Alan Hays (R � Umatilia).
WHEREAS, the reforms listed in HB 7015 will help ensure that the state does all that it can to support those brave individuals who defend the United States and are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to pass HB 7015 or similar legislation that would expand education and employment opportunities to veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit certified copies of the resolution to the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation.
Section 3. Directs the County�s state lobbyists to advocate for the issues identified in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to amend the 2014 State Legislative Package previously approved by the Board to include this item.