Florida Senate - 2017                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1442
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì5018465Î501846                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/28/2017           .                                
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       The Committee on Transportation (Broxson) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 341 and 342
    4  insert:
    5         Section 14. Subsection (1) of section 1012.56, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
    8         (1) APPLICATION.—Each person seeking certification pursuant
    9  to this chapter shall submit a completed application containing
   10  the applicant’s social security number to the Department of
   11  Education and remit the fee required pursuant to s. 1012.59 and
   12  rules of the State Board of Education.
   13         (a) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   14  thereafter, the application fee and the fees for the following
   15  examinations are eliminated for an applicant for the initial
   16  Florida Professional Educator’s Certificate: the General
   17  Knowledge Test, for a first-time registration; and the
   18  Professional Education Test, for a first-time registration. This
   19  paragraph is subject to funding appropriated in the General
   20  Appropriations Act.
   21         (b) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   22  thereafter, one subject area examination fee is waived for an
   23  applicant for the initial Florida Professional Educator’s
   24  Certificate. This paragraph is subject to funding appropriated
   25  in the General Appropriations Act.
   26         (c) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   27  thereafter, the fee for renewing a Florida Professional
   28  Educator’s Certificate is eliminated for a certified teacher
   29  employed at a Florida public school. This paragraph is subject
   30  to funding appropriated in the General Appropriations Act.
   31         (d) Pursuant to the federal Personal Responsibility and
   32  Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, each party is
   33  required to provide his or her social security number in
   34  accordance with this section. Disclosure of social security
   35  numbers obtained through this requirement is limited to the
   36  purpose of administration of the Title IV-D program of the
   37  Social Security Act for child support enforcement. Pursuant to
   38  s. 120.60, the department shall issue within 90 calendar days
   39  after the stamped receipted date of the completed application:
   40         1.(a) If the applicant meets the requirements, a
   41  professional certificate covering the classification, level, and
   42  area for which the applicant is deemed qualified and a document
   43  explaining the requirements for renewal of the professional
   44  certificate;
   45         2.(b) If the applicant meets the requirements and if
   46  requested by an employing school district or an employing
   47  private school with a professional education competence
   48  demonstration program pursuant to paragraphs (6)(f) and (8)(b),
   49  a temporary certificate covering the classification, level, and
   50  area for which the applicant is deemed qualified and an official
   51  statement of status of eligibility; or
   52         3.(c) If an applicant does not meet the requirements for
   53  either certificate, an official statement of status of
   54  eligibility.
   55  
   56  The statement of status of eligibility must advise the applicant
   57  of any qualifications that must be completed to qualify for
   58  certification. Each statement of status of eligibility is valid
   59  for 3 years after its date of issuance, except as provided in
   60  paragraph (2)(d).
   61         Section 15. Section 1012.59, Florida Statutes, is amended
   62  to read:
   63         1012.59 Certification fees.—
   64         (1) The State Board of Education, by rule, shall establish
   65  separate fees for applications, examinations, certification,
   66  certification renewal, late renewal, recordmaking, and
   67  recordkeeping, and may establish procedures for scheduling and
   68  administering an examination upon an applicant’s request. Each
   69  fee shall be based on department estimates of the revenue
   70  required to implement the provisions of law with respect to
   71  certification of school personnel. The application fee shall be
   72  nonrefundable. Each examination fee shall be sufficient to cover
   73  the actual cost of developing and administering the examination.
   74         (a) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   75  thereafter, the application fee and the fees for the following
   76  examinations are eliminated for an applicant for the initial
   77  Florida Professional Educator’s Certificate: the General
   78  Knowledge Test, for a first-time registration; and the
   79  Professional Education Test, for a first-time registration. This
   80  paragraph is subject to funding appropriated in the General
   81  Appropriations Act.
   82         (b) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   83  thereafter, one subject area examination fee is waived for an
   84  applicant for the initial Florida Professional Educator’s
   85  Certificate. This paragraph is subject to funding appropriated
   86  in the General Appropriations Act.
   87         (c) Beginning in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and each year
   88  thereafter, the fee for renewing a Florida Professional
   89  Educator’s Certificate is eliminated for a certified teacher
   90  employed at a Florida public school. This paragraph is subject
   91  to funding appropriated in the General Appropriations Act.
   92         (2) The proceeds from the collection of certification fees,
   93  fines, penalties, and costs levied pursuant to this chapter
   94  shall be remitted by the Department of Education to the Chief
   95  Financial Officer for deposit into a separate fund to be known
   96  as the “Educational Certification and Service Trust Fund” and
   97  disbursed for the payment of expenses incurred by the
   98  Educational Practices Commission and in the printing of forms
   99  and bulletins and the issuing of certificates, upon vouchers
  100  approved by the department.
  101  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  102  And the title is amended as follows:
  103         Between lines 24 and 25
  104  insert:
  105         amending ss. 1012.56 and 1012.59, F.S.; eliminating
  106         the application fee and the fees for certain
  107         examinations for an initial Florida Professional
  108         Educator’s Certificate beginning in a specified fiscal
  109         year; waiving the fee for one subject area examination
  110         for an initial Florida Professional Educator’s
  111         Certificate beginning in a specified fiscal year;
  112         eliminating the fee for renewing a Florida
  113         Professional Educator’s Certificate for a certified
  114         teacher employed at a Florida public school beginning
  115         in a specified fiscal year; providing specified
  116         provisions are subject to certain funding;