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Gov. Scott Signed Bill To Expand Bright Futures Scholarships

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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) - High school students around the state hoping to go to college in Florida have a reason to celebrate.

Governor Rick Scott has signed a bill that permanently expands the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover one hundred percent tuition and fees for academic scholars and 75 percent of tuition and fees for medallion scholars.

Nearly 100,000 students now receive the scholarships, which had their costs scaled back during the Great Recession.

The Florida Legislature passed a similar bill last year, but it was vetoed last summer by Scott. The governor said he objected to parts of the measure aimed at the state's 28 local colleges, including placing enrollment limits on certain four-year degrees offered by the colleges. This year the Senate did not include that provision in the legislation.

Just last week, U.S. News and World Report ranked Florida as the best state in the nation for higher education.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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