TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Florida Senate and House of Representatives passed HB 1, legislation that would expand eligibility for Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and Tax Credit Scholarship Program. While continuing to prioritize lower income applicants, the programs would be made available to all families in the state. The Institute for Justice (IJ), which successfully defended the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and the McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program at the Florida Supreme Court, supports this legislation.

“Florida continues to be a leader among the states in expanding educational opportunities for parents and students,” said IJ Senior Attorney Ari Bargil. “HB 1 empowers parents from all economic backgrounds to make basic decisions about how and where their children are educated. Time and again, voters have supported reforms, in Florida and nationwide, like the one passed today. And the courts have upheld these reforms from constant attacks from opponents who would prefer to strip parents of the right to direct the educational futures of their children. Today’s passage sends a clear message that school choice is here to stay in Florida.”