FL S0292

Creates the Veterans Employment Small Business Grant Program within the Department of Veterans' Affairs, administered by Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.

Provides one-time grants to small businesses (200 or fewer employees, $2 million or less annual revenue) that hire veterans: $3,000 per veteran, $5,000 per disabled veteran, and $1,000 for veterans employed beyond 12 months, with a $25,000 annual cap per business.

Requires participating small businesses to employ veterans for at least 6 months, pay them at least 80 percent of the state's annual median veteran income, and reinvest grant funds to create additional jobs.

Provides an additional $1,000 grant per veteran if small businesses use regional workforce board services, and notifies small business development centers of participant businesses.

Appropriates $10 million in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2015-2016, with a maximum of $800,000 per fiscal year available for grants and $150,000 annually for administrative costs.