Governor DeSantis vetoes bill preserving resident status for the purposes of in-state tuition for individuals who are sentenced to jail or prison
Staff report
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the following bill:
CS/SB 62 – Resident Status for Tuition Purposes
The bill would have preserved access to in-state tuition rates for individuals who have been sentenced to jail or prison: “An individual may not lose his or her resident status for tuition purposes solely by reason of incarceration in a state or federal correctional facility in this state.”
In his veto letter, DeSantis wrote that Florida’s higher education system has been ranked #1 in the country for nearly a decade, “in part due to the state’s investment in our institutions over that same period. We should not reward criminal activity by providing inmates with the same benefits as law-abiding citizens.”
To view the veto letter, click here.
AMEN DESANTIS!!! Time to make them pay for they’re crimes, let’s stop rewarding criminal behavior!
Kim Barton still signs em up to vote at the jail. Sho nuff.
Sure, make it harder for felons to turn their life around.
What a grandstanding jerk. This will affect practically no one, will have bad effects for anyone imprisoned who wants to better themselves, and draw cheers from knuckle draggers.
Wouldn’t want to inconvenience those who victimize other people.
Yeah, like seeking a degree is just another attempt at furthering their life of crime.
There is no law prohibiting felons from obtaining a higher education.
Did you even read what you wrote? If it will affect no one, then how is it going to have bad effects on anyone?
Seems fair. We all have to make it through life with obstacles. Some self imposed, some unavoidable. Breaking the law is self imposed. Actions have consequences.
Yes Clown, and in this case consequences for the citizens of Florida who have to live with those released after their sentence who did nothing to avoid returning there. Recidivism is very high and anyone who actually seeks a degree would be among the least likely to keep committing crimes.
How about those who are convicted of victimizing other people pay for the higher education of those victims?
Guv’s veto is simultaneously in line with incarceration as punishment and at odds with the Quaker concept of rehabilitation. The prison companies must be over the moon with the certain increase in career criminals exacerbated by this opinion and decision that no doubt is a good optic to the shortsighted.
Would be interesting to see actual numbers that support each side of this proposed legislation.
Does providing in-state tuition rates for those incarcerated actually lead to better lives and less recidivism? How much tax payer money is used to subsidize prisoner’s tuition rates? Do these prisoners typically ever complete their degree? Wheres the cost benefit analysis (by either side)?
I’ve seen zero statistics from those for and against this issue. I think it’s more nuanced than you stated.
Slice, we agree for once. It is almost certainly a tiny number affected and much less than the number of citizens who will gain some warped sense of justice from it and think the governor is a serious person instead of grandstanding hack.
We get it. You care more about criminals than you do their victims.
This has nothing to do with their victims, unless you mean future victims of those – the majority now – of those who stay in crime.
Bravo!
Really because the prison system is the #1 money maker in Florida not tourism the prison system whom I’m sure his palms are greased by . All the inmates loved ones are voters and constituents Governor did you forget about that? how about we start voting all of you out. We are the coveted minority voters who can swing that vote either way. Quite frankly I’m sick of the way I’m treated and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
#bluedowntheballot