Senate Bill sb2002
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2002
By Senator Crist
12-1404A-03
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to law enforcement officer
3 training; amending s. 943.16, F.S.; providing
4 for reimbursement of tuition, wages, and
5 benefits by a law enforcement trainee who
6 terminates his or her employment in an
7 employing agency's basic recruit training
8 program; authorizing an employing agency to
9 commence a civil action for its reimbursement;
10 providing exceptions; providing an effective
11 date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Section 943.16, Florida Statutes, is
16 amended to read:
17 943.16 Payment of tuition or officer certification
18 examination fee by employing agency; reimbursement of tuition,
19 other course expenses, wages, and benefits.--
20 (1) An employing agency is authorized to pay any costs
21 of tuition of a trainee in attendance at an approved basic
22 recruit training program.
23 (2)(a) A trainee who attends such approved training
24 program at the expense of an employing agency must remain in
25 the employment or appointment of such employing agency for a
26 period of not less than 2 years 1 year. If employment or
27 appointment is terminated on the trainee's own initiative
28 within 2 years 1 year, he or she shall reimburse the employing
29 agency for the full cost of his or her tuition, other course
30 expenses, and additional amounts as provided in paragraph (b)
31
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2002
12-1404A-03
1 participation; and such employing agency may institute a civil
2 action to collect such tuition cost if it is not reimbursed.
3 (b) In addition to reimbursement for the full cost of
4 tuition and other course expenses, a trainee terminating
5 employment as provided in paragraph (a) shall reimburse the
6 employing agency for the trainee's wages and benefits paid by
7 the employing agency during the academy training period
8 according to the following schedule:
9 1. For a trainee terminating employment within 6
10 months after graduation from the basic recruit training
11 program, the full amount of wages and benefits paid during the
12 academy training period.
13 2. For a trainee terminating employment within 12
14 months after graduation from the basic recruit training
15 program, an amount equal to three-fourths of the full amount
16 of wages and benefits paid during the academy training period.
17 3. For a trainee terminating employment within 18
18 months after graduation from the basic recruit training
19 program, an amount equal to one-half of the full amount of
20 wages and benefits paid during the academy training period.
21 4. For a trainee terminating employment within 24
22 months after graduation from the basic recruit training
23 program, an amount equal to one-fourth of the full amount of
24 wages and benefits paid during the academy training period.
25 (3) An employing agency is authorized to pay the
26 required fee for an applicant to take the officer
27 certification examination on one occasion.
28 (4) An employing agency may institute a civil action
29 to collect the cost of tuition, other course expenses, wages,
30 and benefits as provided in this section if it is not
31 reimbursed provided that the employing agency notified the
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2002
12-1404A-03
1 trainee of the 2-year employment commitment no later than the
2 first day on which classes commenced for basic recruit
3 training.
4 (5) For purposes of this section, the term "academy
5 training period" means the period of time during which the
6 trainee is attending an approved basic recruit training
7 program in a law enforcement or correctional officer academy
8 class for purposes of obtaining certification under chapter
9 943, until the date of graduation from the class. The term
10 "other course expenses" includes the cost of meals.
11 (6) This section does not apply to a trainee who
12 terminates employment with the employing agency and resigns
13 his or her certification upon termination in order to obtain
14 employment for which certification under chapter 943 is not
15 required. This section does not apply to a trainee attending
16 auxiliary officer training.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003,
18 and applies to basic recruit training classes commencing after
19 that date.
20
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22 SENATE SUMMARY
23 Provides for reimbursement of tuition, wages, and
benefits by a law enforcement trainee who terminates his
24 employment in an employing agency's basic recruit
training program. Authorizes an employing agency to
25 commence a civil action to collect its reimbursement.
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