CS/CS/HB 977 - Military Support Bill Summary

• Revises the Governor's Medal of Merit definition of "exceptional meritorious service" to include acts of bravery above and beyond normal duty requirements for military personnel and civilians.

• Creates the Florida Veterans' Hall of Fame Council to oversee nominations and selection of veterans for induction, transferring this function from the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

• Authorizes servicemembers deployed in specified military operations (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Odyssey Dawn, and Operation Noble Eagle) to receive an additional ad valorem tax exemption if they have a homestead exemption.

• Consolidates multiple military-related grant programs under the Florida Defense Reinvestment Grant Program and Florida Defense Infrastructure Grant Program, eliminating redundant programs and transferring functions to the Florida Defense Support Task Force.

• Establishes military veterans and servicemembers court programs, pretrial intervention programs for veterans, and misdemeanor pretrial veterans' treatment programs to address service-related mental illness, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse disorders.

• Requires Florida College System institutions and state universities to provide priority course registration for veterans receiving GI Bill benefits and designates multiple memorial highways throughout Florida in honor of deceased servicemembers.