Veterans

Housing for Veterans; Establishes Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in certain counties, subject to legislative appropriation; requires Florida Housing Finance Corporation, in consultation with other entities & persons, to oversee specified aspects of pilot program; provides responsibilities of corporation for pilot program; requires contracted program administrators to maintain certain functions of pilot program; authorizes certain landlords to apply to contracted program administrator to request funding from Vacancy Relief & Risk Mitigation Trust Fund; provides purpose of such trust fund; provides requirements to request funding from trust fund; requires certain case managers to assist contracted program administrator; requires contracted program administrator to maintain & provide certain documentation to corporation; requires entity responsible for certain functions to maintain any supporting documentation; authorizes corporation to rely on certifications, determinations, & documentation provided by specified entities; provides that funding for pilot program is awarded on first-come, first-served basis; authorizes corporation to suspend acceptance of applications; requires specified notice.

SB 96 establishes a Veterans Dental Care Grant Program within Florida's Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide oral health care to eligible veterans. It directly affects Florida veterans with household incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Revenue Fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to fund this program, which will cover dental services for qualifying veterans. The program becomes effective July 1, 2026, and is administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Veterans Affairs; Revising the admissions process for veterans treatment court programs; authorizing the multidisciplinary team to determine eligibility for veterans treatment court programs; authorizing sentencing courts to divert defendants to veterans treatment court programs under certain circumstances; requiring that a defendant’s satisfactory completion of the program be a condition of the defendant’s probation or community control, etc.