As 2024 comes to a close, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) have spotlighted several policies and initiatives aimed at supporting veterans, their families, and survivors. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the FDVA is recognized as a key resource for Florida's 1.4 million veterans.
Governor DeSantis signed several veteran-focused bills into law in 2024. House Bill 725 expands eligibility for admission to state veterans' long-term care facilities to include spouses or surviving spouses of qualifying veterans. The state is also working on opening its tenth veterans' nursing home, which will make it the most state-operated facilities in the nation.
House Bill 1329 enhances benefits for veterans by designating Veterans Florida as the initial point of contact for military transition assistance and increasing its board members from nine to eleven. It also revises the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program to better match veterans with businesses and encourage entrepreneurship among veteran-owned small businesses.
Additionally, a fee exemption was created for hunting and fishing licenses for honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities. Public schools are now required to teach about Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
November has been designated as Veterans Appreciation Month through House Bill 357, replacing what was previously known as Veterans Week.
In education, nearly 400 schools across Florida have earned the Purple Star School designation for their support of military families. Five school districts received the new Florida Purple Star School District designation: Bay, Brevard, Citrus, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa.
The FDVA reported that State Veterans’ Service Officers assisted over 245,000 veterans in accessing services and processed nearly 44,000 new claims in 2024. They helped recover more than $259 million in retroactive benefits for veterans and their families.
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, FDVA officers were deployed to help connect over 380 affected veterans with necessary services.
The Focus on Florida’s Future budget includes funding for dental grants providing no-cost dental care to eligible veterans. The budget also supports eight state-run nursing homes and one assisted living facility with $4 million allocated for maintenance.
Five State Veterans’ Nursing Homes received five-star ratings from Medicare and Medicaid Services this year. Additionally, Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans’ Nursing Home received an award from the American Health Care Association while Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home earned a productivity award for its staffing program.
A new website dedicated to women veterans was launched this year at https://womenveterans.floridavets.org.
Governor DeSantis inducted twenty individuals into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame as part of its twelfth class in 2024.
Under Governor DeSantis's initiative GI LAW (Lawyers Assisting Warriors), leading law firms provide pro bono legal services to active-duty service members in Florida; so far benefiting over 265 service members through eight participating law firms.