Senate Bill sb2002e1
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SB 2002 First Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to law enforcement officer
3 training; amending s. 943.16, F.S.; requiring
4 trainees attending approved basic recruit
5 training programs to reimburse an employing
6 agency for tuition, other course expenses,
7 wages, and benefits paid by the agency if the
8 employee terminates his or her employment or
9 appointment within a specified time period
10 after graduation; providing a schedule for
11 reimbursement of a trainee's wages and
12 benefits; authorizing an employing agency to
13 institute civil action under certain
14 circumstances; providing definitions; providing
15 applicability; authorizing an employing agency
16 to waive reimbursement requirements under
17 certain circumstances; providing a conditional
18 effective date.
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20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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22 Section 1. Section 943.16, Florida Statutes, is
23 amended to read:
24 943.16 Payment of tuition or officer certification
25 examination fee by employing agency; reimbursement of tuition,
26 other course expenses, wages, and benefits.--
27 (1) An employing agency is authorized to pay any costs
28 of tuition of a trainee in attendance at an approved basic
29 recruit training program.
30 (2)(a) A trainee who attends such approved training
31 program at the expense of an employing agency must remain in
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SB 2002 First Engrossed
1 the employment or appointment of such employing agency for a
2 period of not less than 2 years after graduation from the
3 basic recruit training program 1 year. If employment or
4 appointment is terminated on the trainee's own initiative
5 within 2 years 1 year, he or she shall reimburse the employing
6 agency for the full cost of his or her participation; and such
7 employing agency may institute a civil action to collect such
8 tuition cost if it is not reimbursed tuition, other course
9 expenses, and additional amounts as provided in paragraph (b).
10 (b) In addition to reimbursement for the full cost of
11 tuition and other course expenses, a trainee terminating
12 employment as provided in paragraph (a) shall reimburse the
13 employing agency for the trainee's wages and benefits paid by
14 the employing agency during the academy training period
15 according to the following schedule:
16 1. For a trainee terminating employment within 6
17 months of graduation from the basic recruit training program,
18 the full amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy
19 training period.
20 2. For a trainee terminating employment within 6
21 months and 1 day to 12 months of graduation from the basic
22 recruit training program, an amount equal to three-fourths of
23 the full amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy
24 training period.
25 3. For a trainee terminating employment within 12
26 months and 1 day to 18 months of graduation from the basic
27 recruit training program, an amount equal to one-half of the
28 full amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy
29 training period.
30 4. For a trainee terminating employment within 18
31 months and 1 day to 24 months of graduation from the basic
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SB 2002 First Engrossed
1 recruit training program, an amount equal to one-fourth of the
2 full amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy
3 training period.
4 (3) An employing agency is authorized to pay the
5 required fee for an applicant to take the officer
6 certification examination on one occasion.
7 (4) An employing agency may institute a civil action
8 to collect such cost of tuition, other course expenses, wages,
9 and benefits as provided in this section if it is not
10 reimbursed, provided that the employing agency gave written
11 notification to the trainee of the 2-year employment
12 commitment during the employment screening process. The
13 trainee shall return signed acknowledgement of receipt of such
14 notification.
15 (5) For purposes of this section, "academy training
16 period" means the period of time that a trainee is attending
17 an approved basic recruit training program in a law
18 enforcement or correctional officer academy class for purposes
19 of obtaining certification pursuant to chapter 943, until the
20 date of graduation from such class. The term "other course
21 expenses" includes the cost of meals.
22 (6) This section does not apply to trainees who
23 terminate employment with the employing agency and resign
24 their certification upon termination in order to obtain
25 employment for which certification under chapter 943 is not
26 required. Further, this section does not apply to trainees
27 attending auxiliary officer training.
28 (7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an
29 employing agency may waive a trainee's requirement of
30 reimbursement in part or in full when the trainee terminates
31 employment due to hardship or extenuating circumstances.
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SB 2002 First Engrossed
1 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003,
2 and applies to basic recruit training classes commencing after
3 that date.
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