Bill > H0205

This bill revises Florida's residency requirements for tuition purposes to be more inclusive, particularly for dependent children and individuals with certain immigration statuses. It clarifies that a dependent child is not considered independent for federal financial aid purposes and expands the definition of "parent" to include stepparents. The bill prohibits denying resident tuition status to a U.S. citizen dependent child based solely on their parent's immigration status and allows U.S. citizen high school graduates who attended Florida schools for at least three years to use their parents' residency documents to prove their own residency for tuition. It also establishes that a person can qualify for resident tuition by marrying someone who meets the residency requirements and allows for fee exemptions for students who have lived in Florida for at least three years with a parent and attended a Florida high school, provided they commit to applying for U.S. permanent residency. Additionally, the bill expands the categories of individuals who are automatically classified as residents for tuition purposes, including honorably discharged veterans residing in Florida, and authorizes Florida College System institutions and state universities to waive tuition and out-of-state fees based on criteria such as attending a Florida high school for several years and graduating, aligning with federal law that prohibits denying benefits based on immigration status.