House Bill hb1241

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1241

        By Representative Ausley






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education and training

  3         opportunities for state employees; amending s.

  4         110.1099, F.S.; authorizing certain state

  5         employees to enroll in tuition-free courses on

  6         a space-available basis; providing for

  7         appropriation of funds to reimburse education

  8         institutions for administrative costs;

  9         providing duties of the Department of

10         Education, the State Comptroller, and the

11         Auditor General; clarifying language and

12         deleting obsolete provisions; providing an

13         effective date.

14

15         WHEREAS, space-available tuition waivers have been

16  offered to Florida's state employees as an important benefit

17  to allow productive employees an opportunity to enhance their

18  education, and

19         WHEREAS, valued and valuable employees, and potential

20  employees, have always considered space-available tuition

21  waivers to be of tremendous benefit, and

22         WHEREAS, one of the most effective methods for

23  accomplishing tasks more efficiently is to provide access to

24  education and training, and

25         WHEREAS, with fewer employees handling more tasks,

26  education and training provide avenues to meet these

27  challenges, enhance performance, and reward outstanding

28  productivity, and

29         WHEREAS, the results of this benefit will be a more

30  educated, well-rounded, productive, driven, appreciative, and

31  efficient workforce, NOW, THEREFORE,

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1241

    745-115B-02






  1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  2

  3         Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 110.1099, Florida

  4  Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         110.1099  Education and training opportunities for

  6  state employees.--

  7         (1)(a)  Education and training are an integral

  8  component in improving the delivery of services to the public.

  9  Recognizing that the application of productivity-enhancing

10  technology and practice demands continuous educational and

11  training opportunities, a state employee may be authorized to

12  receive a voucher or grant, for matriculation fees, to attend

13  work-related courses at public community colleges, public

14  technical centers, or public universities. Student credit

15  hours generated by state employee fee waivers shall be

16  fundable credit hours. The department may implement the

17  provisions of this paragraph section from funds appropriated

18  to the department for this purpose. In the event insufficient

19  funds are appropriated to the department, each state agency

20  may supplement these funds to support the training and

21  education needs of its employees from funds appropriated to

22  the agency.

23         (b)1.  As a benefit to employers and employees of the

24  state, subject to approval of an employee's agency head, a

25  non-State-University-System state employee who meets academic

26  requirements may enroll for up to 6 credit hours of

27  tuition-free courses per term on a space-available basis at a

28  public community college or public university. From funds

29  appropriated by the Legislature for implementation of this

30  paragraph, public community colleges and public universities

31  shall be reimbursed for administrative costs on a pro rata

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1241

    745-115B-02






  1  basis according to the cost assessment data developed by the

  2  Division of Community Colleges and the Division of Colleges

  3  and Universities of the Department of Education.

  4         2.  The State Comptroller, in cooperation with the

  5  Florida Community College System and the State University

  6  System, shall identify and implement ways to ease the

  7  administrative burden to public community colleges and public

  8  universities, including, but not limited to, providing easier

  9  access to verify state employment.

10         3.  The Auditor General shall include a review of the

11  cost assessment data in conjunction with his or her audit

12  responsibilities for public community colleges, public

13  universities, and the Division of Community Colleges and the

14  Division of Colleges and Universities of the Department of

15  Education.

16         (b)  For the 2001-2002 fiscal year only and

17  notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), state

18  employees may not be authorized to receive fundable tuition

19  waivers on a space-available basis. This paragraph expires

20  July 1, 2002.

21         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

22

23            *****************************************

24                          HOUSE SUMMARY

25
      Authorizes non-State-University-System state employees to
26    enroll for up to 6 credit hours of tuition-free courses
      per term on a space-available basis at public community
27    colleges and public universities. Provides for
      appropriation of funds to reimburse education
28    institutions for administrative costs. Provides duties of
      the Department of Education, the State Comptroller, and
29    the Auditor General.

30

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.