First in Your Family Florida Medical School Scholarship and Grant Program:
HB 1417 creates the First in Your Family Florida Medical School Scholarship and Grant Program within the Department of Education. The program is designed to help students who are the first in their families to enroll in an accredited medical school or approved physician assistant program, whether in Florida or out of state, with priority for students attending Florida schools and recent graduates of Florida postsecondary institutions. The department would be required to establish eligibility and award criteria, including U.S. citizenship and income-based awards for students with household incomes below $150,000.
The bill also authorizes the department to provide grants to public postsecondary institutions and qualifying nonprofit organizations to develop nontraditional mentoring and support services for students in medical school or physician assistant programs. Scholarships could be renewed for up to four years, and recipients could use limited portions of the award for emergency expenses and professional-related costs such as equipment, clothing, testing, and disability insurance. The bill appropriates $10 million in recurring General Revenue beginning in fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund the program and takes effect July 1, 2025.
If enacted, the bill would add a new section to Florida Statutes, s. 1009.899, and place a new scholarship-and-grant program under the Department of Education. It would create a state-funded pathway to support medical and physician assistant students, especially first-generation students, and would direct recurring state appropriations to cover awards and related support services. The measure would also affect public postsecondary institutions and nonprofit organizations that could receive grants to provide mentoring and student support.
The bill appears generally supportive and policy-driven, with its stated purpose tied to Florida’s projected physician shortage and concerns about access to health care. The text frames the program as a workforce-development and access-to-care measure, suggesting a favorable rationale for expanding the pipeline of future physicians and physician assistants. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded debate or formal vote sentiment to assess beyond the bill’s stated findings and purpose.
The main policy choices embedded in the bill are likely to be the focus of any disagreement: the $10 million recurring appropriation, the income cap for eligibility, the requirement that recipients be U.S. citizens, and the allocation formula that directs two-thirds of awards to in-state programs and one-third to out-of-state programs. Another possible point of contention is whether state funds should support students attending out-of-state schools, even though the bill gives preference to Florida institutions. Because no committee discussion or votes are included, specific objections or supporters are not identified in the record provided.