Florida Senate - 2018              PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
       Bill No. SB 1758
       
       
       
       
       
                               Ì303670ÇÎ303670                          
       
       576-03514-18                                                    
       Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
       (Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government)
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Special Risk Class; amending s.
    3         121.0515, F.S.; adding specified Florida State
    4         Hospital employees to the class; conforming cross
    5         references; declaring that the act fulfills an
    6         important state interest; providing appropriations;
    7         providing an effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2), subsection (3),
   12  and paragraph (d) of subsection (8) of section 121.0515, Florida
   13  Statutes, are amended to read:
   14         121.0515 Special Risk Class.—
   15         (2) MEMBERSHIP.—
   16         (h) Effective August 1, 2008, “special risk member”
   17  includes any member who meets the special criteria for continued
   18  membership set forth in paragraph (3)(k) (3)(j).
   19         (3) CRITERIA.—A member, to be designated as a special risk
   20  member, must meet the following criteria:
   21         (a) Effective October 1, 1978, the member must be employed
   22  as a law enforcement officer and be certified, or required to be
   23  certified, in compliance with s. 943.1395, except that; however,
   24  sheriffs and elected police chiefs are not required to be
   25  certified excluded from meeting the certification requirements
   26  of this paragraph. In addition, the member’s duties and
   27  responsibilities must include the pursuit, apprehension, and
   28  arrest of law violators or suspected law violators; or as of
   29  July 1, 1982, the member must be an active member of a bomb
   30  disposal unit whose primary responsibility is the location,
   31  handling, and disposal of explosive devices; or the member must
   32  be the supervisor or command officer of a member or members who
   33  have such responsibilities. Administrative support personnel,
   34  including, but not limited to, those whose primary duties and
   35  responsibilities are in accounting, purchasing, legal, and
   36  personnel, are not included;
   37         (b) Effective October 1, 1978, the member must be employed
   38  as a firefighter and be certified, or required to be certified,
   39  in compliance with s. 633.408 and be employed solely within the
   40  fire department of a local government employer or an agency of
   41  state government with firefighting responsibilities. In
   42  addition, the member’s duties and responsibilities must include
   43  on-the-scene fighting of fires; as of October 1, 2001, fire
   44  prevention or firefighter training; as of October 1, 2001,
   45  direct supervision of firefighting units, fire prevention, or
   46  firefighter training; or as of July 1, 2001, aerial firefighting
   47  surveillance performed by fixed-wing aircraft pilots employed by
   48  the Florida Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and
   49  Consumer Services; or the member must be the supervisor or
   50  command officer of a member or members who have such
   51  responsibilities. Administrative support personnel, including,
   52  but not limited to, those whose primary duties and
   53  responsibilities are in accounting, purchasing, legal, and
   54  personnel, are not included. All periods of creditable service
   55  in fire prevention or firefighter training, or as the supervisor
   56  or command officer of a member or members who have such
   57  responsibilities, and for which the employer paid the special
   58  risk contribution rate, are included;
   59         (c) Effective October 1, 1978, the member must be employed
   60  as a correctional officer and be certified, or required to be
   61  certified, in compliance with s. 943.1395. In addition, the
   62  member’s primary duties and responsibilities must include be the
   63  custody, and physical restraint if when necessary, of prisoners
   64  or inmates within a prison, jail, or other criminal detention
   65  facility, or while on work detail outside the facility, or while
   66  being transported; or as of July 1, 1984, the member must be the
   67  supervisor or command officer of a member or members who have
   68  such responsibilities. Administrative support personnel,
   69  including, but not limited to, those whose primary duties and
   70  responsibilities are in accounting, purchasing, legal, and
   71  personnel, are not included; however, wardens and assistant
   72  wardens, as defined by rule, are included;
   73         (d) Effective October 1, 1999, the member must be employed
   74  by a licensed Advance Life Support (ALS) or Basic Life Support
   75  (BLS) employer as an emergency medical technician or a paramedic
   76  and be certified in compliance with s. 401.27. In addition, the
   77  member’s primary duties and responsibilities must include on
   78  the-scene emergency medical care or as of October 1, 2001,
   79  direct supervision of emergency medical technicians or
   80  paramedics, or the member must be the supervisor or command
   81  officer of one or more members who have such responsibility.
   82  Administrative support personnel, including, but not limited to,
   83  those whose primary responsibilities are in accounting,
   84  purchasing, legal, and personnel, are not included;
   85         (e) Effective January 1, 2001, the member must be employed
   86  as a community-based correctional probation officer and be
   87  certified, or required to be certified, in compliance with s.
   88  943.1395. In addition, the member’s primary duties and
   89  responsibilities must be the supervised custody, surveillance,
   90  control, investigation, and counseling of assigned inmates,
   91  probationers, parolees, or community controllees within the
   92  community; or the member must be the supervisor of a member or
   93  members who have such responsibilities. Administrative support
   94  personnel, including, but not limited to, those whose primary
   95  duties and responsibilities are in accounting, purchasing, legal
   96  services, and personnel management, are not included; however,
   97  probation and parole circuit and deputy circuit administrators
   98  are included;
   99         (f) Effective January 1, 2001, the member must be employed
  100  in one of the following classes and must spend at least 75
  101  percent of his or her time performing duties that which involve
  102  contact with patients or inmates in a correctional or forensic
  103  facility or institution:
  104         1. Dietitian (class codes 5203 and 5204);
  105         2. Public health nutrition consultant (class code 5224);
  106         3. Psychological specialist (class codes 5230 and 5231);
  107         4. Psychologist (class code 5234);
  108         5. Senior psychologist (class codes 5237 and 5238);
  109         6. Regional mental health consultant (class code 5240);
  110         7. Psychological Services Director—DCF (class code 5242);
  111         8. Pharmacist (class codes 5245 and 5246);
  112         9. Senior pharmacist (class codes 5248 and 5249);
  113         10. Dentist (class code 5266);
  114         11. Senior dentist (class code 5269);
  115         12. Registered nurse (class codes 5290 and 5291);
  116         13. Senior registered nurse (class codes 5292 and 5293);
  117         14. Registered nurse specialist (class codes 5294 and
  118  5295);
  119         15. Clinical associate (class codes 5298 and 5299);
  120         16. Advanced registered nurse practitioner (class codes
  121  5297 and 5300);
  122         17. Advanced registered nurse practitioner specialist
  123  (class codes 5304 and 5305);
  124         18. Registered nurse supervisor (class codes 5306 and
  125  5307);
  126         19. Senior registered nurse supervisor (class codes 5308
  127  and 5309);
  128         20. Registered nursing consultant (class codes 5312 and
  129  5313);
  130         21. Quality management program supervisor (class code
  131  5314);
  132         22. Executive nursing director (class codes 5320 and 5321);
  133         23. Speech and hearing therapist (class code 5406); or
  134         24. Pharmacy manager (class code 5251);
  135         (g) Effective October 1, 2005, through June 30, 2008, the
  136  member must be employed by a law enforcement agency or medical
  137  examiner’s office in a forensic discipline recognized by the
  138  International Association for Identification and must qualify
  139  for active membership in the International Association for
  140  Identification. The member’s primary duties and responsibilities
  141  must include the collection, examination, preservation,
  142  documentation, preparation, or analysis of physical evidence or
  143  testimony, or both, or the member must be the direct supervisor,
  144  quality management supervisor, or command officer of one or more
  145  individuals with such responsibility. Administrative support
  146  personnel, including, but not limited to, those whose primary
  147  responsibilities are clerical or in accounting, purchasing,
  148  legal, and personnel, are not included;
  149         (h) Effective July 1, 2008, the member must be employed by
  150  the Department of Law Enforcement in the crime laboratory or by
  151  the Division of State Fire Marshal in the forensic laboratory in
  152  one of the following classes:
  153         1. Forensic technologist (class code 8459);
  154         2. Crime laboratory technician (class code 8461);
  155         3. Crime laboratory analyst (class code 8463);
  156         4. Senior crime laboratory analyst (class code 8464);
  157         5. Crime laboratory analyst supervisor (class code 8466);
  158         6. Forensic chief (class code 9602); or
  159         7. Forensic services quality manager (class code 9603);
  160         (i) Effective July 1, 2008, the member must be employed by
  161  a local government law enforcement agency or medical examiner’s
  162  office and must spend at least 65 percent of his or her time
  163  performing duties that involve the collection, examination,
  164  preservation, documentation, preparation, or analysis of human
  165  tissues or fluids or physical evidence having potential
  166  biological, chemical, or radiological hazard or contamination,
  167  or use chemicals, processes, or materials that may have
  168  carcinogenic or health-damaging properties in the analysis of
  169  such evidence, or the member must be the direct supervisor of
  170  one or more individuals having such responsibility. If a special
  171  risk member changes to another position within the same agency,
  172  he or she must submit a complete application as provided in
  173  paragraph (4)(a);
  174         (j)Effective January 1, 2019, the member must be employed
  175  in any of the following classes and must spend at least 65
  176  percent of his or her time performing duties that involve
  177  contact with patients or inmates at Florida State Hospital:
  178         1.Abuse registry counselor (class code 5961).
  179         2.Barber/beautician (class codes 6201, 6205, and 6206).
  180         3.Behavioral program associate (class codes 5750 and
  181  5762).
  182         4.Behavioral program specialist (class codes 5751 and
  183  5763).
  184         5.Certified radiologic technologist (class codes 5523,
  185  5524, 5527, and 5528).
  186         6.Chaplain (class codes 5819 and 5820).
  187         7.Child protective investigator (class code 8371).
  188         8.Child protective field support consultant (class code
  189  8374).
  190         9.Children, youth, and families counselor (class code
  191  5954).
  192         10.Classroom teacher (class codes 4144 and 4147).
  193         11.Custodial trainer (class code 6530).
  194         12.Custodial worker (class codes 6511 and 6526).
  195         13.Dental assistant (class codes 5632 and 5633).
  196         14.Dental hygienist (class code 5641).
  197         15.Dental technician (class code 5644).
  198         16.Dietetic technician (class code 5594).
  199         17.Direct services aide (class code 5702).
  200         18.Education and training specialist (class code 1328).
  201         19.Food control specialist (class code 6217).
  202         20.Food support worker (class code 6213).
  203         21.Groundskeeper (class code 6394).
  204         22.Health support aide (class codes 5504 and 5505).
  205         23.Human services counselor (class codes 5934, 5936, 5937,
  206  5940, and 5941).
  207         24.Human services program analyst (class code 5871).
  208         25.Human services program consultant (class codes 5918,
  209  5919, and 5920).
  210         26.Human services program records analyst (class code
  211  5864).
  212         27.Human services program specialist (class code 5877).
  213         28.Human services worker (class codes 5706, 5709, 5781,
  214  and 5784).
  215         29.Librarian (class code 4315).
  216         30.Librarian specialist (class codes 4318 and 4319).
  217         31.Medical laboratory technician (class codes 5047 and
  218  5048).
  219         32.Pharmacy technician (class codes 5500 and 5501).
  220         33.Rehabilitation therapist (class codes 5562 and 5563).
  221         34.Residential unit specialist (class code 5736).
  222         35.Senior chaplain (class code 5823).
  223         36.Social services counselor (class codes 5953 and 5960).
  224         37.Storekeeper (class codes 0918, 0921, and 0922).
  225         38.Teacher aide (class codes 4133 and 4142).
  226         39.Therapy aide (class codes 5556 and 5557).
  227         40.Training specialist (class codes 1322 and 1324).
  228         41.Unit treatment and rehab specialist (class codes 5776
  229  and 5791).
  230         42.Vocational instructor (class codes 1309, 1310, 1311,
  231  1312, 1313, and 1315).
  232         43.Volunteer services center specialist (class code 6000).
  233         44.Volunteer services specialist (class code 5997); or
  234         (k)(j) The member must have already qualified for and be
  235  actively participating in special risk membership under
  236  paragraph (a), paragraph (b), or paragraph (c), must have
  237  suffered a qualifying injury as defined in this paragraph, must
  238  not be receiving disability retirement benefits as provided in
  239  s. 121.091(4), and must satisfy the requirements of this
  240  paragraph.
  241         1. The ability to qualify for the class of membership
  242  defined in paragraph (2)(h) occurs when two licensed medical
  243  physicians, one of whom is a primary treating physician of the
  244  member, certify the existence of the physical injury and medical
  245  condition that constitute a qualifying injury as defined in this
  246  paragraph and that the member has reached maximum medical
  247  improvement after August 1, 2008. The certifications from the
  248  licensed medical physicians must include, at a minimum, that the
  249  injury to the special risk member has resulted in a physical
  250  loss, or loss of use, of at least two of the following: left
  251  arm, right arm, left leg, or right leg; and that:
  252         a. The That this physical loss or loss of use is total and
  253  permanent, unless except if the loss of use is due to a physical
  254  injury to the member’s brain, in which event the loss of use is
  255  permanent with at least 75 percent loss of motor function with
  256  respect to each arm or leg affected.
  257         b. The That this physical loss or loss of use renders the
  258  member physically unable to perform the essential job functions
  259  of his or her special risk position.
  260         c. That, Notwithstanding this physical loss or loss of use,
  261  the individual can perform the essential job functions required
  262  by the member’s new position, as provided in subparagraph 3.
  263         d. That Use of artificial limbs is not possible or does not
  264  alter the member’s ability to perform the essential job
  265  functions of the member’s position.
  266         e. That The physical loss or loss of use is a direct result
  267  of a physical injury and not a result of any mental,
  268  psychological, or emotional injury.
  269         2. For the purposes of this paragraph, “qualifying injury”
  270  means an injury sustained in the line of duty, as certified by
  271  the member’s employing agency, by a special risk member that
  272  does not result in total and permanent disability as defined in
  273  s. 121.091(4)(b). An injury is a qualifying injury if the injury
  274  is a physical injury to the member’s physical body resulting in
  275  a physical loss, or loss of use, of at least two of the
  276  following: left arm, right arm, left leg, or right leg.
  277  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an injury
  278  that would otherwise qualify as a qualifying injury is not
  279  considered a qualifying injury if and when the member ceases
  280  employment with the employer for whom he or she was providing
  281  special risk services on the date the injury occurred.
  282         3. The new position, as described in sub-subparagraph 1.c.,
  283  which that is required for qualification as a special risk
  284  member under this paragraph is not required to be a position
  285  with essential job functions that entitle an individual to
  286  special risk membership. Whether a new position as described in
  287  sub-subparagraph 1.c. exists and is available to the special
  288  risk member is a decision to be made solely by the employer in
  289  accordance with its hiring practices and applicable law.
  290         4. This paragraph does not grant or create additional
  291  rights for any individual to continued employment or to be hired
  292  or rehired by his or her employer that are not already provided
  293  by state law within the Florida Statutes, the State
  294  Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act, if
  295  applicable, or any other applicable state or federal law.
  296         (8) SPECIAL RISK ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT CLASS.—
  297         (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection,
  298  this subsection does not apply to any special risk member who
  299  qualifies for continued membership pursuant to paragraph (3)(k)
  300  (3)(j).
  301         Section 2. The Legislature finds that a proper and
  302  legitimate state purpose is served when employees and retirees
  303  of the state and its political subdivisions, and the dependents,
  304  survivors, and beneficiaries of such employees and retirees, are
  305  extended the basic protections afforded by governmental
  306  retirement systems. These persons must be provided benefits that
  307  are fair and adequate and are managed, administered, and funded
  308  in an actuarially sound manner, as required by s. 14, Article X
  309  of the State Constitution and part VII of chapter 112, Florida
  310  Statutes. Therefore, the Legislature determines and declares
  311  that this act fulfills an important state interest.
  312         Section 3. For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the recurring
  313  sums of $1,263,118 from the General Revenue Fund, $605,606 from
  314  the Federal Grants Trust Fund, and $70,448 from the Operations
  315  and Maintenance Trust Fund are appropriated to the Department of
  316  Children and Families to implement this act.
  317         Section 4. This act shall take effect January 1, 2019.