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What Happened to Florida's Veteran Card-Fee Bills in 2026, and What Comes Next

Bottom line

What this means
In 2026 Florida came closer than ever to lowering the MMUR identification-card fee for honorably discharged veterans. None of the three bills became law. The fee is still $75.
What you need to do
Nothing changes for your card today. If you want the fee lowered, the 2027 session is where it happens; see the next steps below.
What can change
Bill filings, sponsors and committee assignments for 2027. We update this page when the official record changes.
Where to verify
The Florida Senate bill pages linked in Sources. Every fact below is taken from them.

Who this is for

Veterans who paid the fee and want to know why it is still $75, post leaders and VSO members deciding whether to support the effort, and legislative staff who want the record straight.

The proposal, in one sentence

TGV position: reduce Florida's Medical Marijuana Use Registry identification-card fee for honorably discharged veterans from $75 to $15, an 80 percent reduction that saves each veteran $60 on every issuance, renewal and replacement, while preserving the $10 the statute already allocates to Florida A&M University.

The 2026 record: fact

HB 887 (2026)

  • Sponsor: Rep. Susan Valdés. Co-introducers listed by the Florida Senate: Bartleman, Eskamani, López (J.), Mooney, Salzman.
  • What it did: authorized the Department of Health to charge a reduced $15 fee for issuance, replacement or renewal of MMUR identification cards for eligible honorably discharged veterans.
  • House vote: passed 113 yeas, 0 nays, on March 4, 2026.
  • Final status: died in Senate Rules on March 13, 2026.

SB 974 (2026)

  • Sponsor: Sen. Truenow. Identical to HB 887.
  • Final status: died in Senate Health Policy on March 13, 2026, without a committee hearing or vote recorded on the bill page.

CS/SB 1032 (2026)

  • Sponsor: Sen. Calatayud; Health Policy committee substitute.
  • Relevant change: the committee substitute included language capping the identification-card fee for qualifying veterans at $15.
  • Health Policy vote: 10 yeas, 1 nay, on February 11, 2026.
  • Final status: died in the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services on March 13, 2026.

Florida also considered versions of veteran fee relief in 2024 and 2025. None was enacted. The Grateful Veteran's direct involvement in drafting language, working with legislative staff and advocating at the Capitol began in late 2025.

What we take from it: TGV assessment

A unanimous House vote and a 10 to 1 committee vote in the Senate are strong signals that this is not a partisan question. The bills ran out of session time in the Senate, not out of support in the record. We do not speculate about individual motives; the bill history speaks for itself.

Why $15 and not zero

Of the current $75 fee, section 381.986(7), Florida Statutes, directs $10 to Florida A&M University for medical marijuana education and research. The $15 model preserves that allocation in full. A veteran pays less, FAMU keeps what the law already directs to it, and the registry's costs are still supported. That design is why we chose it over a full waiver.

Next action

  • TGV: preparing a 2027 Legislative Information Packet, continuing conversations with legislators and staff in both chambers, and building support among veteran service organizations and community partners. We advocate independently and do not employ a registered lobbyist. We will not name a 2027 sponsor until that commitment is confirmed, and we will not describe any organization as endorsing the bill without its signed statement.
  • If you are a veteran: tell us what the fee has meant for you. Real stories, told accurately, move legislators. Share yours here.
  • If you lead a post or veteran organization: we would welcome a conversation about supporting the 2027 effort. Reach out.
  • If you are a Florida resident: know who your state representative and senator are, and be ready when we ask you to make a call.

Why this matters beyond the number

Sixty dollars is groceries. It is a tank of gas to get to the physician appointment. Every fee we cover for one veteran helps that veteran. Changing the fee helps every honorably discharged veteran in Florida, every year, whether or not they ever hear our name. That is the shift this campaign represents: from paying the barrier down to removing it.

Sources & verification

  1. Florida Senate: HB 887 (2026), bill history and House vote (accessed August 27, 2026)
  2. Florida Senate: SB 974 (2026) (accessed August 27, 2026)
  3. Florida Senate: CS/SB 1032 (2026) and committee substitute text (accessed August 27, 2026)
  4. Florida Statutes, section 381.986, card fee and FAMU allocation (accessed August 27, 2026)
  5. Florida OMMU: Registry Identification Cards, current $75 fee (accessed August 27, 2026)

Published August 27, 2026. Last reviewed August 27, 2026. Next review due October 2026, or immediately when a 2027 bill is filed. Content risk level: high. Facts checked against the Florida Senate bill records above; the TGV position is the organization's own.

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