Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 586
       
       
        
       By Senator Wright
       
       
       
       
       
       14-00495-21                                            2021586__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to veterans employment and training;
    3         amending s. 295.21, F.S.; directing Florida Is For
    4         Veterans, Inc., to serve as the state’s principal
    5         assistance organization under the United States
    6         Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program; amending
    7         s. 295.22, F.S.; prescribing duties of the corporation
    8         to facilitate the administration of the SkillBridge
    9         program; providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of
   14  section 295.21, Florida Statutes, to read:
   15         295.21 Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.—
   16         (3) DUTIES.—The corporation shall:
   17         (g) Serve as the state’s principal assistance organization
   18  under the United States Department of Defense’s SkillBridge
   19  program for employers and transitioning servicemembers.
   20         Section 2. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (3) of
   21  section 295.22, Florida Statutes, to read:
   22         295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.—
   23         (3) ADMINISTRATION.—Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., shall
   24  administer the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program
   25  and perform all of the following functions:
   26         (f) As the state’s principal assistance organization under
   27  the United States Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program
   28  for qualified businesses in this state and for transitioning
   29  servicemembers who reside in, or who wish to reside in, this
   30  state, the corporation shall:
   31         1. Establish and maintain, as applicable, its certification
   32  for the SkillBridge program or any other similar workforce
   33  training and transition programs established by the United
   34  States Department of Defense;
   35         2. Educate businesses, business associations, and
   36  transitioning servicemembers on the SkillBridge program and its
   37  benefits, and educate military command and personnel within the
   38  state on the opportunities available to transitioning
   39  servicemembers through the SkillBridge program;
   40         3. Assist businesses in obtaining approval for skilled
   41  workforce training curricula under the SkillBridge program,
   42  including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, internships, or
   43  fellowships; and
   44         4. Match transitioning servicemembers who are deemed
   45  eligible for SkillBridge participation by their military command
   46  with training opportunities offered by the corporation or
   47  participating businesses, with the intent of having
   48  transitioning servicemembers achieve gainful employment in this
   49  state upon completion of their SkillBridge training.
   50         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.