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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to veterans; amending s. 292.10, F.S.;

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deleting a requirement that certain veterans must have

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served in a war to receive specific benefits from local

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governments; amending s. 292.11, F.S.; revising provisions

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relating to local government veteran service officers;

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limiting the duties of such persons to providing services

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to veterans; deleting a requirement that such persons must

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have served in the armed forces during a period of war;

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deleting an administrative experience requirement for such

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persons; requiring the Department of Veterans' Affairs,

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instead of the respective local governments, to prescribe

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the duties of such service officers; providing an

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effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Section 292.10, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     292.10 Local governing bodies authorized to assist war

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veterans; powers.--The board of county commissioners of each

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county and the governing body of each municipality city in the

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state should are hereby granted full and complete power and

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authority to aid and assist wherever practical and feasible the

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veterans, male and female, who have served in the Armed Forces of

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the United States in any war and received an honorable discharge

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from any branch of the military service of the United States, and

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their dependents, in presenting claims for and securing such

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compensation, hospitalization, education, loans, career training,

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and other benefits or privileges to which the said veterans, or

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any of them, are or may become entitled under any federal or

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state law or regulation by reason of their service in the Armed

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Forces of the United States.

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     Section 2.  Section 292.11, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     292.11  County and city veteran service officer.--

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     (1) Each board of county commissioners should may employ a

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county veteran service officer, who shall report to the highest

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authority in the administration; provide office space, clerical

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assistance, and the necessary supplies incidental to providing

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and maintaining a county service office; and pay the said

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expenses and salaries from the moneys hereinafter provided for.

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The governing body of any municipality should city may employ a

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municipal city veteran service officer, who shall report to the

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highest authority in the administration; provide such office

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space, clerical assistance, and supplies; and pay expenses and

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salaries. The officer and any support staff may provide only

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veterans' services and may not provide other services or have

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duties unrelated to veterans. A county or municipal city veteran

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service officer must be a veteran who served as a member of the

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Armed Forces of the United States during a period of war, as

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defined in Title 38, U.S.C.; who served at least 18 months'

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active duty in the Armed Forces; and who was separated from such

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service under honorable conditions, or the surviving spouse of

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any such veteran. Any honorably discharged wartime veteran who

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was so discharged for service-connected or aggravated medical

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reasons before serving 18 months of active duty; who completed a

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tour of duty other than active duty for training, regardless of

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the length of the tour; or who satisfied his or her military

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obligation in a manner other than active duty for training or

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reserve duty is shall be eligible for employment as a county or

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municipal city veteran service officer. Every county or municipal

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city veteran service officer, in order to be eligible for

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employment as a county or city veteran service officer, should

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shall have a 2-year degree from an accredited university,

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college, or community college or a high school degree or

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equivalency diploma and 4 years of administrative experience that

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ensures the applicant is competent in office skills and decorum

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in performing the duties of his or her position.

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     (2) Any county or municipality city desiring to employ a

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county or municipality city veteran service officer under the

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provisions of this section must may notify the Department of

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Veterans' Affairs of its intention to do so and should may

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furnish the department with the name or names of any person or

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persons applying to fill such position, along with documentation

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supporting the qualifications thereof. The department shall

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thereupon certify to such county or municipality city the name or

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names of candidates for such position who meet the requirements

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and qualifications prescribed by the department.  The county or

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city may thereupon employ any person qualified to be or persons

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so certified by the department. The department may prescribe the

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duties of the service officer. Duties, compensation, and terms of

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employment shall be prescribed by the board of county

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commissioners or, where applicable, by the governing body of the

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municipality city.

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     (3) Any person employed by any county or municipality city

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under the provisions of this section shall, from the time of his

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or her employment, be subject to such rules as the Department of

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Veterans' Affairs may from time to time prescribe.

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Appropriations made by any county or municipality city, or both,

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for the purposes set forth in this section are hereby declared to

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be appropriations for a county or municipal purpose, as the case

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may be.

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     (4)  The Department of Veterans' Affairs is directed to

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establish a training program for county and municipal city

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veteran service officers. Every county or municipal city veteran

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service officer employed under this chapter shall attend the

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training program established by the department and successfully

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complete a test administered by the department prior to assuming

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any responsibilities as a county or municipal city veteran

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service officer.  The department shall further establish periodic

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training refresher courses which each county or municipal city

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veteran service officer must attend and complete as a condition

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of remaining in employment as a county or municipal city veteran

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service officer. County and municipal city veteran service

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officers shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, as provided in

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s. 112.061, in fulfilling the requirements of this section.

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     (5) The provisions of subsection (1) do shall not apply to,

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or in any way affect, the employment of any county or municipal

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city service officer who was so employed prior to July 1, 1974.

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     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.