Florida Senate - 2022 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 466
Ì501066ÊÎ501066
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RS .
03/01/2022 .
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The Committee on Appropriations (Torres) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 295.126, Florida Statutes, is created to
6 read:
7 295.126 Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF)
8 program.—
9 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
10 to assist military-trained health care veterans and their
11 spouses in finding employment in this state’s health care and
12 health care-related industries, occupations, and professions as
13 they transition to civilian life and to offer educational credit
14 to military-trained health care veterans for their service in
15 the United States military, to be applied toward the education
16 and training required in this state to attain a health care or
17 health care-related licensure to enter a health care or health
18 care-related industry, occupation, or profession in this state.
19 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
20 (a) “Department” means the Department of Health.
21 (b) “License” has the same meaning as in s. 456.001(5).
22 (c) “Military-trained health care veteran” means a person
23 who:
24 1. Has served within the preceding consecutive 12 months as
25 an Army Combat Medic Specialist, a Navy or Fleet Marine Force
26 Hospital Corpsman, an Air Force or Space Force Aerospace Medical
27 Service Technician, or a Coast Guard Health Services Technician,
28 or in other military positions similar to civilian X-ray
29 technicians, dental assistants, medical assistants, or
30 phlebotomists; and
31 2. Was discharged or separated from military service under
32 conditions other than dishonorable or upgraded to an honorable
33 discharge.
34 (d) “Participating health care provider” means:
35 1. A physician licensed under chapter 458 or an osteopathic
36 physician licensed under chapter 459;
37 2. A professional corporation or partnership of physicians
38 licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed
39 under chapter 459;
40 3. A hospital or ambulatory surgical center licensed under
41 chapter 395;
42 4. An office registered under s. 458.328 or s. 459.0138;
43 5. A commercial enterprise having medical facilities for
44 its employees which are supervised by one or more physicians
45 licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed
46 under chapter 459; or
47 6. A facility licensed under chapter 395 which offers
48 medical services to the public and is supervised by one or more
49 physicians licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians
50 licensed under chapter 459.
51 (e) “Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14) and
52 includes a former member of the Florida National Guard who was
53 discharged or separated from service under conditions other than
54 dishonorable or upgraded to an honorable discharge.
55 (3) ESTABLISHMENT.—The department, in collaboration with
56 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Florida Is For Veterans,
57 Inc., and the Department of Economic Opportunity, may establish
58 and administer the Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida
59 (MCMF) Program.
60 (4) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the MCMF Program include, but
61 are not limited to, the following:
62 (a) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
63 their spouses in identifying and applying for health care
64 related employment and health care licensure and to connect
65 veterans who have military health care training and who are
66 seeking employment in health care fields with health care
67 organizations seeking to hire dedicated, well-trained workers.
68 (b) Meeting the health care workforce demands of this state
69 by facilitating access to training and education in health care
70 and health care-related fields for veterans and their spouses
71 and to promote the health care licensing programs provided by
72 the state.
73 (c) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
74 their spouses in identifying health care and health care-related
75 industries, occupations, and professions within this state which
76 they may be immediately qualified to apply for, or apply for
77 licensure for, based on previous civilian or military health
78 care training.
79 (d) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
80 their spouses in identifying health care and health care-related
81 education and training programs within this state which will
82 recognize veterans’ and their spouses’ medical skills and allow
83 such veterans and spouses to build on those skills in order to
84 gain employment and work toward obtaining appropriate health
85 care license as that term is defined in s 456.001(5).
86 (e) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
87 their spouses in identifying and applying for health care and
88 health care-related employment and licensure programs.
89 (f) Meeting the health care workforce demands of this state
90 by facilitating access to training and education in health care
91 and health care-related fields and promoting health care
92 licensing programs provided in this state.
93 (g) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
94 their spouses with licensure under ss. 456.024 and 456.0241, if
95 applicable.
96 (5) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The MCMF Program shall consist of
97 the following components:
98 (a) The MCMF Program Office of Veterans Advocacy within the
99 Department of Health.—
100 1. There is created within the department the MCMF Program
101 Office of Veterans Advocacy.
102 2. The MCMF Program Office of Veterans Advocacy shall be
103 headed by a MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate, who shall serve on
104 a full-time basis and shall carry out its purposes and functions
105 in accordance with state and federal law.
106 3. The MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate shall be designated
107 by the department and must manage the development and
108 maintenance of the program through ongoing collaboration with
109 the United States Department of Defense, the Department of
110 Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Economic Opportunity,
111 Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., the Department of Education, and
112 any other identified stakeholders to further the mission of the
113 program.
114 4. The MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate must possess
115 significant advocacy skills and an understanding of the
116 following:
117 a. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB);
118 b. The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT);
119 c. The Military Occupational Code (MOC) categories;
120 d. The training received by veterans in various MOC
121 categories; and
122 e. The practice requirements of the various comparable
123 department-recognized, licensed occupations and professions.
124 5. The duties of the MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate shall
125 include, but are not limited to, the following:
126 a. Providing information, guidance, direction, and
127 assistance as needed with the licensure application process or
128 with expedited licensing, as appropriate, to military-trained
129 health care veterans and their spouses transitioning into
130 civilian health care and health care-related industries,
131 occupations, and professions;
132 b. Providing specific information, on the department’s
133 website and in pamphlet format, for military-trained health care
134 veterans and their spouses on health care and health care
135 related occupations and professions, including available
136 statewide educational and training opportunities and resources
137 for which such veterans and spouses may immediately qualify;
138 c. Providing guidance, direction, and assistance as needed,
139 including specific information on the department’s website and
140 in pamphlet format, for military-trained health care veterans
141 and their spouses on additional education and training required
142 to obtain licensure for health care and health care-related
143 occupations and professions and whether such veterans and
144 spouses may qualify for expedited state licensure in the
145 following health care and health care-related occupations:
146 (I) Licensed registered or practical nurse pursuant to ss.
147 464.008, 464.009, 464.0095, and 456.024;
148 (II) Optician under s. 484.007;
149 (III) Certain radiological personnel under part IV of
150 chapter 468;
151 (IV) Emergency medical technician under ss. 401.23(11) and
152 401.27;
153 (V) Paramedic under ss. 401.23(17) and 401.27; and
154 (VI) Any other health care license type for which the
155 department finds a military-trained health care veteran or his
156 or her spouse needs guidance, direction, and assistance.
157 d. Referring any requests to the Department of Economic
158 Opportunity to assist military-trained health care veterans and
159 their spouses in resume writing and proofreading, job
160 application completion, and interviewing skills and techniques.
161 (b) No veteran left behind.—Veterans who do not meet the
162 definition of the term “military-trained health care veteran”
163 but who have served in health care-related fields shall receive
164 assistance from the MCMF Program through the Department of
165 Economic Opportunity in resume writing, mentorship, and
166 obtaining employment with participating health care providers.
167 (c) Health care leadership.—The MCMF Program through the
168 Department of Economic Opportunity shall assist veterans and
169 their spouses who have gained management experience or have
170 completed an advanced degree in finding civilian health care
171 leadership and management employment opportunities in a variety
172 of health care and health care-related disciplines.
173 (d) Promote participating health care providers.—Florida Is
174 For Veterans, Inc., in coordination with the Department of
175 Economic Opportunity, the Department of Health, and the MCMF
176 Program Office of Veterans Advocacy, shall work to fulfill the
177 MCMF Program purposes as set forth in s. 295.126(2) and to
178 recruit, establish, and maintain a statewide list of the MCMF
179 Program participating health care providers as defined in s.
180 295.126(2)(d) which it will make available to the department,
181 the MCMF Program Office, and veterans and their spouses upon
182 request.
183 (6) FEES.—The department shall waive all application fees,
184 certificate fees, and unlicensed activity fees for military
185 trained health care veterans and their spouses.
186 (7) RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The department may adopt rules
187 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.
188 Section 2. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of
189 section 295.22, Florida Statutes, to read:
190 295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.—
191 (3) ADMINISTRATION.—Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., shall
192 administer the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program
193 and perform all of the following functions:
194 (g) Collaborate with the Department of Health to implement
195 the Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF) Program, in
196 coordination with the Department of Economic Opportunity and the
197 MCMF Program Office of Veterans Advocacy, to assist in
198 fulfilling the purposes of the MCMF Program as set forth in s.
199 295.126(4). The corporation shall:
200 1. Recruit, establish, and maintain a statewide list, by
201 geographical area, of MCMF Program participating health care
202 providers as defined in s. 295.126(2)(d) in furtherance of the
203 Legislature’s intent to provide preference, priority, and
204 available waivers to military-trained health care veterans and
205 their spouses for certain educational requirements in hiring
206 practices set forth in ss. 295.065, 295.07, 295.08, and 295.085.
207 Participating health care providers shall agree to employ the
208 MCMF Program participants, and Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.,
209 shall make the list available to military-trained health care
210 veterans and their spouses upon request.
211 2. Assist participating health care providers in recruiting
212 and hiring military-trained health care veterans and their
213 spouses by connecting them with suitable applicants for
214 employment.
215 3. Provide, through the Department of Economic Opportunity
216 or the United States Department of Defense’s SkillBridge
217 program, instruction and proofreading for resume writing,
218 training in interviewing skills, and assistance with application
219 completion to military-trained health care veterans and their
220 spouses.
221 4. Provide, through the Department of Economic Opportunity
222 or the United States Department of Defense’s SkillBridge
223 program, mentorship services, including, but not limited to,
224 tutoring in interviewing skills and techniques, to assist in
225 obtaining employment with participating health care providers.
226 5. Assist the MCMF Program military-trained health care
227 veterans and their spouses who hold an MCMF Military Apprentice
228 License Health Care Certificate in identifying participating
229 health care providers for potential employment, including
230 providing assistance with resume writing, application
231 completion, and interviewing skills.
232 6. Assist the MCMF Program military-trained health care
233 veterans and their spouses, who have gained management
234 experience or have completed an advanced degree in finding
235 civilian health care leadership and management employment in a
236 variety of health care and health care-related disciplines.
237 7. The Department of Economic Opportunity may adopt rules
238 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.
239 Section 3. Section 1004.0963, Florida Statutes, is created
240 to read:
241 1004.0963 Postsecondary credit for health care and health
242 care-related military training and education courses.—
243 (1) In consultation with the Department of Veterans’
244 Affairs and the Department of Health, the Board of Governors
245 shall adopt regulations, and the State Board of Education shall
246 adopt rules, to create a process that enables eligible military
247 trained health care veterans as defined in s. 295.126(2)(c) to
248 earn uniform postsecondary educational credit across all Florida
249 public or private postsecondary educational institutions for
250 college-level education and training acquired while serving in
251 the military. The regulations and rules must include procedures
252 for credential evaluation and the uniform award of postsecondary
253 educational credit and career education academic and clinical
254 clock hours, including, but not limited to, equivalency and
255 alignment of military coursework with appropriate postsecondary
256 educational courses and course descriptions. The regulations and
257 rules must provide for procedures to develop systematically
258 coordinated educational course equivalencies to be set out in
259 the statewide articulation agreement required by s. 1007.23(1)
260 which enable eligible military-trained health care veterans as
261 defined in s. 295.126(2)(c) to earn uniform educational course
262 credit and uniform academic and clinical clock hours across all
263 Florida public colleges, universities, training schools, and
264 training programs for the education and training acquired in the
265 military.
266 (2) The Health Care Articulation Coordinating Committee
267 shall convene a workgroup by July 15, 2023, which is responsible
268 for developing a process for determining postsecondary
269 educational course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary
270 educational credit for career education and academic or clinical
271 clock hours which must be awarded for courses taken and
272 occupations held by individuals during their service in the
273 military.
274 (a) The workgroup shall be composed of the following
275 members:
276 1. The chair of the Health Care Articulation Coordinating
277 Committee or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair.
278 2. One member representing academic affairs administrators
279 and faculty from state universities with expertise in health
280 care and health care-related industries, occupations, and
281 professions, appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors.
282 3. One member representing academic affairs administrators
283 and faculty from Florida College System institutions with
284 expertise in health care and health care-related industries,
285 occupations, and professions, appointed by the chair of the
286 State Board of Education.
287 4. One member representing faculty from career centers with
288 expertise in health care and health care-related industries,
289 occupations, and professions, appointed by the State Board of
290 Education.
291 5. Two members representing veterans familiar with the
292 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB); the Armed
293 Forces Qualification Test (AFQT); the Military Occupational Code
294 (MOC) categories; and the training received by veterans in
295 various MOC categories, appointed by the executive director of
296 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
297 6. Four faculty members appointed by the appropriate
298 Department of Health boards, or by the department if there is no
299 board, to represent public and private colleges, universities,
300 training schools, and training programs of this state which
301 train emergency medical technicians, opticians, paramedics,
302 licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and radiologic
303 technologists, or other health care or health care-related
304 industries, occupations, or professions as deemed appropriate by
305 the department.
306 (b) The Office of K-20 Articulation shall provide
307 administrative support for the workgroup.
308 (c) The workgroup shall establish a process for
309 prioritizing and determining postsecondary educational course
310 equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational credit
311 or career education and academic and clinical clock hours that
312 must be awarded for courses taken and training received for
313 occupations performed by individuals during their service in the
314 military. The workgroup shall provide recommendations to the
315 Board of Governors and the State Board of Education by December
316 1, 2024, for approval at the next meeting of each board to allow
317 for adequate public notice.
318 (d) Upon approval of the workgroup’s recommendations, the
319 Health Care Articulation Coordinating Committee must facilitate
320 the review of courses taken and occupations held by individuals
321 during their service in the military for postsecondary
322 educational course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary
323 educational credit or career education and academic or clinical
324 clock hours that must be awarded in accordance with the approved
325 process.
326 (e) Within 1 year after approval of the workgroup’s
327 recommendations, the Health Care Articulation Coordinating
328 Committee must approve a prioritized list of systematically
329 coordinated postsecondary educational course equivalencies and
330 the minimum postsecondary educational credit for military career
331 education and training and academic and clinical clock hours
332 that must be awarded for courses taken and occupations held by
333 individuals during their service in the military. The list must
334 be updated annually. The Board of Governors, the Department of
335 Health boards or the department if there is no board, and the
336 State Board of Education must timely adopt the list approved by
337 the Health Care Articulation Coordinating Committee at the next
338 meeting of each board to allow for adequate public notice. For
339 the purpose of statewide application, postsecondary educational
340 course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational
341 credit, career education, and academic and clinical clock hours
342 that must be awarded for courses taken and the training received
343 for occupations performed by individuals during service in the
344 military must be delineated by the State Board of Education and
345 the Board of Governors in the statewide articulation agreement
346 required by s. 1007.23(1).
347 (f) State universities, Florida College System
348 institutions, career centers, training schools, and training
349 programs must award postsecondary educational credit and
350 academic and clinical clock hours for courses taken and training
351 received for occupations performed by individuals during service
352 in the military based on the list adopted by the Board of
353 Governors, the State Board of Education, and the Department of
354 Health boards, or the department if there is no board, pursuant
355 to paragraph (e) if the educational credit or career education
356 and academic or clinical clock hours can be applied toward the
357 student’s degree or certificate.
358 (g) Institutions may award additional postsecondary
359 educational credit and academic and clinical clock hours, if
360 appropriate. Educational credit or academic and clinical clock
361 hours awarded in accordance with minimum postsecondary
362 educational credit and academic or clinical clock hour
363 requirements, respectively, are guaranteed to transfer to other
364 state universities, Florida College System institutions, career
365 centers, training schools, and training programs.
366 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
367
368 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
369 And the title is amended as follows:
370 Delete everything before the enacting clause
371 and insert:
372 A bill to be entitled
373 An act relating to the Military Corpsmen and Medics of
374 Florida (MCMF) Program; creating s. 295.126, F.S.;
375 providing legislative intent; defining terms;
376 establishing the MCMF Program; providing the purposes
377 of the program; providing the components of the
378 program; creating the MCMF Program Office of Veterans
379 Advocacy within the Department of Health; providing
380 that the program’s Veterans’ Advocate is the head of
381 the office; providing qualifications of the advocate;
382 prescribing duties of the advocate; requiring the MCMF
383 Program through the Department of Economic Opportunity
384 to assist certain veterans and their spouses with
385 specified tasks; requiring Florida Is For Veterans,
386 Inc., to coordinate with specified entities to fulfill
387 the program’s purposes and recruit, establish, and
388 maintain a statewide list of participating health care
389 providers; requiring the department to waive certain
390 fees for specified veterans and their spouses;
391 authorizing the department to adopt rules; amending s.
392 295.22, F.S.; requiring Florida Is for Veterans, Inc.,
393 to collaborate with specified entities to implement
394 the MCMF program; prescribing functions to Florida Is
395 For Veterans, Inc., related to the program;
396 authorizing the Department of Economic Opportunity to
397 adopt rules; creating s. 1004.0963, F.S.; requiring
398 the Board of Governors and the State Board Of
399 Education to consult with specified entities to adopt
400 specified regulations and rules, respectively;
401 requiring the Health Care Articulation Coordinating
402 Committee to convene a workgroup by a specified date;
403 providing responsibilities of the workgroup; providing
404 the membership of the workgroup; requiring the Office
405 of K-20 Articulation to provide administrative support
406 to the workgroup; requiring the workgroup to provide
407 certain recommendations to the Board of Governors and
408 the Board of Education by a specified date; requiring
409 the Health Care Articulation Coordinating Committee to
410 approve a specified list of certain course
411 equivalencies and credits for certain veterans;
412 requiring the committee to annually update the list;
413 requiring specified entities to annually adopt the
414 updated list; providing applicability; requiring
415 specified entities to award credit and clock hours for
416 courses taken and training received by certain
417 veterans under specified conditions; authorizing
418 institutions to award additional credit or clock hours
419 if appropriate; requiring specified entities to accept
420 certain credit or clock hours earned by veterans under
421 certain conditions; providing an effective date.