Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1588
       
       
        
       By Senator Latvala
       
       
       
       
       
       16-01422-17                                           20171588__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to military and veteran support;
    3         amending s. 295.187, F.S.; requiring the Department of
    4         Veterans’ Affairs to create a website to streamline
    5         the procedure for businesses applying for
    6         certification as a veteran business enterprise;
    7         amending s. 454.021, F.S.; authorizing the Supreme
    8         Court to admit on motion a bar applicant who is the
    9         spouse of a servicemember stationed in this state
   10         under certain circumstances; amending s. 1012.56,
   11         F.S.; requiring the Department of Education to
   12         expedite the processing of an application for educator
   13         certification submitted by a spouse of a servicemember
   14         stationed in this state; requiring the State Board of
   15         Education to adopt rules regarding extending validity
   16         of a temporary certificate if the applicant is a
   17         spouse of a servicemember stationed in this state;
   18         providing legislative findings and intent regarding
   19         continuing education for veterans of the United States
   20         Armed Forces; providing legislative intent to require
   21         collaboration between the State Board of Education and
   22         the Board of Governors of the State University System
   23         in achieving specified goals regarding educational
   24         opportunities for veterans; providing an effective
   25         date.
   26          
   27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   28  
   29         Section 1. Present paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of
   30  section 295.187, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
   31  (e), and a new paragraph (d) is added to that subsection, to
   32  read:
   33         295.187 Florida Veteran Business Enterprise Opportunity
   34  Act.—
   35         (6) DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS.—The
   36  department shall:
   37         (d) Create a website to streamline the procedure for
   38  applying for certification as a veteran business enterprise.
   39         Section 2. Subsection (4) is added to section 454.021,
   40  Florida Statutes, to read:
   41         454.021 Attorneys; admission to practice law; Supreme Court
   42  to govern and regulate.—
   43         (4)(a)The Supreme Court of Florida may admit on motion an
   44  applicant as an attorney at law authorized to practice in this
   45  state if the applicant is a spouse of a servicemember, as
   46  defined in s. 250.01, stationed in this state and upon
   47  certification by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners that the
   48  applicant meets the following requirements:
   49         1. The applicant has registered in the Defense Enrollment
   50  Eligibility Reporting System established by the United States
   51  Department of Defense;
   52         2. The applicant holds a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws
   53  from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association;
   54         3. The applicant is licensed to practice law in another
   55  state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United
   56  States after having passed a written exam;
   57         4.The applicant can establish that he or she is a member
   58  in good standing in all jurisdictions where licensed to practice
   59  law and that he or she is not currently subject to discipline or
   60  a pending disciplinary matter relating to the practice of law;
   61         5. The applicant can demonstrate his or her presence in
   62  this state as a spouse of a servicemember; and
   63         6. The applicant has otherwise fulfilled all requirements
   64  for admission to practice law in this state.
   65         (b) The Supreme Court of Florida may specify circumstances
   66  under which the license and authorization to practice law in
   67  this state of an attorney licensed in accordance with paragraph
   68  (a) terminates.
   69         Section 3. Subsections (1) and (7) of section 1012.56,
   70  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   71         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
   72         (1) APPLICATION.—Each person seeking certification pursuant
   73  to this chapter shall submit a completed application containing
   74  the applicant’s social security number to the Department of
   75  Education and remit the fee required pursuant to s. 1012.59 and
   76  rules of the State Board of Education. Pursuant to the federal
   77  Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
   78  of 1996, each party is required to provide his or her social
   79  security number in accordance with this section. Disclosure of
   80  social security numbers obtained through this requirement is
   81  limited to the purpose of administration of the Title IV-D
   82  program of the Social Security Act for child support
   83  enforcement. Pursuant to s. 120.60, the department shall issue
   84  within 90 calendar days after the stamped receipted date of the
   85  completed application:
   86         (a) If the applicant meets the requirements, a professional
   87  certificate covering the classification, level, and area for
   88  which the applicant is deemed qualified and a document
   89  explaining the requirements for renewal of the professional
   90  certificate;
   91         (b) If the applicant meets the requirements and if
   92  requested by an employing school district or an employing
   93  private school with a professional education competence
   94  demonstration program pursuant to paragraphs (6)(f) and (8)(b),
   95  a temporary certificate covering the classification, level, and
   96  area for which the applicant is deemed qualified and an official
   97  statement of status of eligibility; or
   98         (c) If the an applicant does not meet the requirements for
   99  either certificate, an official statement of status of
  100  eligibility. The statement of status of eligibility must advise
  101  the applicant of any qualifications that must be completed to
  102  qualify for certification. Each statement of status of
  103  eligibility is valid for 3 years after its date of issuance,
  104  except as provided in paragraph (2)(d).
  105  
  106  If the applicant is the spouse of a servicemember, as defined in
  107  s. 250.01, stationed in this state and if the applicant holds a
  108  current professional standard teaching certificate issued by
  109  another state, the department shall expedite the processing of
  110  the application and issue a certificate or statement as provided
  111  under paragraphs (a)-(c) within 60 calendar days after the
  112  stamped receipted date of the completed application.
  113         (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
  114         (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
  115  certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
  116  who meets all the requirements outlined in subsection (2) or,
  117  for a professional certificate covering grades 6 through 12, any
  118  applicant who:
  119         1. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h).
  120         2. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
  121  science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
  122         3. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
  123  advanced degree.
  124         4. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
  125  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
  126  student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
  127  assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
  128  Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
  129  examination.
  130         5. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
  131  education competency examination required by state board rule.
  132         (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
  133  any applicant who completes the requirements outlined in
  134  paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content
  135  requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
  136  mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and
  137  holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the
  138  Department of Education at the level required for the subject
  139  area specialization in state board rule.
  140         (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
  141  temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
  142  certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
  143  degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
  144  completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
  145  impairment.
  146  
  147  Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
  148  and is nonrenewable. However, the requirement in paragraph
  149  (2)(g) must be met within 1 calendar year of the date of
  150  employment under the temporary certificate. Individuals who are
  151  employed under contract at the end of the 1 calendar year time
  152  period may continue to be employed through the end of the school
  153  year in which they have been contracted. A school district shall
  154  not employ, or continue the employment of, an individual in a
  155  position for which a temporary certificate is required beyond
  156  this time period if the individual has not met the requirement
  157  of paragraph (2)(g). The State Board of Education shall adopt
  158  rules to allow the department to extend the validity period of a
  159  temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
  160  professional certificate, not including the requirement in
  161  paragraph (2)(g), were not completed due to the serious illness
  162  or injury of the applicant, due to the fact that the applicant
  163  is the spouse of a servicemember stationed in this state, or due
  164  to other extraordinary extenuating circumstances. The department
  165  shall reissue the temporary certificate for 2 additional years
  166  upon approval by the Commissioner of Education. A written
  167  request for reissuance of the certificate shall be submitted by
  168  the district school superintendent, the governing authority of a
  169  university lab school, the governing authority of a state
  170  supported school, or the governing authority of a private
  171  school.
  172         Section 4. Legislative findings and intent; continuing
  173  education of veterans of the United States Armed Forces.—The
  174  Legislature finds that many veterans of the United States Armed
  175  Forces in this state have completed training and coursework
  176  during their military service, including overseas deployments,
  177  resulting in tangible and quantifiable strides in their pursuit
  178  of a postsecondary degree. The Legislature further finds that
  179  the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the
  180  State University System must work together to ensure that
  181  military training and coursework are granted academic credit in
  182  order to assist veterans in continuing their education.
  183  Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the State
  184  Board of Education and the Board of Governors work
  185  collaboratively to:
  186         (1) Align existing degree programs, including, but not
  187  limited to, vocational and technical degrees, at each state
  188  university and Florida College System institution with
  189  applicable military training and experience to maximize academic
  190  credit awarded for such training and experience.
  191         (2) Appoint and train specific faculty within each degree
  192  program at each state university and Florida College System
  193  institution as liaisons and contacts for veterans.
  194         (3) Incorporate outreach services tailored to disabled
  195  veterans into existing disability services on the campus of each
  196  state university and Florida College System institution to make
  197  available to such veterans information on disability services
  198  provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
  199  other federal and state agencies, and private entities.
  200         (4) Facilitate statewide meetings for personnel at state
  201  universities and Florida College System institutions who provide
  202  student services for veterans to discuss and develop best
  203  practices, exchange ideas and experiences, and attend
  204  presentations by individuals with expertise in the unique needs
  205  of veterans.
  206         (5) Make every effort to provide veterans with sufficient
  207  courses required for graduation, including, but not limited to,
  208  giving priority registration to veterans.
  209         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.