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Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill last month that would have allowed prisoners to qualify for in-state tuition in public colleges.
But, supporters of the bill say it’s counterproductive.
Desmond Meade is the executive director of Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.
It’s an organization that advocates for people who return to their lives after having been to prison.
“I was a person who was previously incarcerated, and part of my journey of rehabilitation, my journey of transformation, was me being able to get an education.”
Democratic state Senator Rosalind Osgood sponsored the bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate.
It would have ensured that a person, even if they are incarcerated, would remain an in-state resident and benefit from lower tuition rates.
But DeSantis said in his veto letter that the policy would be rewarding criminal activity.
Meade disagrees.
“If you believe that someone with a felony conviction can be in the White House, can be the President of the United States, the most important job in the world, then you should be supporting policies that allow people to seek gainful employment.”
This is the second time Osgood has filed the bill.
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