ORLANDO, Fla. — After the series of earthquakes in Puerto Rico, Jose Rivera fled and resettled in Central Florida.

His wife and two sons, however, didn't move with him right away — they were trying to get their finances in order before the big move.

"It’s difficult. I’m used to having them with me all the time, but it’s the best decision for the future," Rivera said.

The 36-year-old public relations professional said the toughest part of the move has been how his family will get fluent in English so they can establish themselves in their new community. His children are 3 and 4 years old. 

"We’re looking for a bilingual school, because we only speak Spanish at home," Rivera said.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, (D-7th District) said her bill, the ELEVATE Act — which stands for Ensuring Linguistic Excellence and Vocational Aptitude by Teaching English Act — would help Puerto Rican English-learning students like Rivera's children. 

She says her bill would change the formula for distributing money to schools to help English-learning students by taking into account Puerto Rican children who were displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2017 or the series of earthquakes that began December 2019.

Murphy said the bill is dear to her. 

“I’m somebody who learned English as a second language, and I understand the importance of being able to speak and understand English," Murphy said.

A spokesperson for Murphy’s office says if the bill is passed, Florida schools would receive about $5 million more a year.

“The money could be used to hire teachers who teach English as a second language," Murphy said. 

“Speaking English is a huge benefit for my children and myself, because I can grow professionally and integrate myself into my new community," Rivera said.

The bill received bipartisan support from Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Mario Diaz-Balart. It’s now in the House Committee on Education and Labor. ​