Florida Senate - 2022 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 466
Ì529498fÎ529498
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
03/01/2022 .
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The Committee on Appropriations (Torres) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Substitute for Amendment (501066) (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete everything after the enacting clause
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Section 295.126, Florida Statutes, is created to
7 read:
8 295.126 Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF)
9 Program.—
10 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
11 to assist military-trained health care veterans and their
12 spouses in finding employment in this state’s health care and
13 health care-related industries, occupations, and professions as
14 they transition to civilian life and to offer educational credit
15 to military-trained health care veterans for their service in
16 the United States military, to be applied toward the education
17 and training required in this state to attain a health care or
18 health care-related license to enter a health care or health
19 care-related industry, occupation, or profession in this state.
20 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
21 (a) “Department” means the Department of Health.
22 (b) “License” has the same meaning as in s. 456.001(5).
23 (c) “Military-trained health care veteran” means a person
24 who:
25 1. Has served within the preceding consecutive 12 months as
26 an Army Combat Medic Specialist, a Navy or Fleet Marine Force
27 Hospital Corpsman, an Air Force or Space Force Aerospace Medical
28 Service Technician, or a Coast Guard Health Services Technician,
29 or in other military positions similar to civilian X-ray
30 technicians, dental assistants, medical assistants, or
31 phlebotomists; and
32 2. Was discharged or separated from military service under
33 conditions other than dishonorable or upgraded to an honorable
34 discharge.
35 (d) “Participating health care provider” means:
36 1. A physician licensed under chapter 458 or an osteopathic
37 physician licensed under chapter 459;
38 2. A professional corporation or partnership of physicians
39 licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed
40 under chapter 459;
41 3. A hospital or ambulatory surgical center licensed under
42 chapter 395;
43 4. An office registered under s. 458.328 or s. 459.0138;
44 5. A commercial enterprise having medical facilities for
45 its employees which are supervised by one or more physicians
46 licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed
47 under chapter 459; or
48 6. A facility licensed under chapter 395 which offers
49 medical services to the public and is supervised by one or more
50 physicians licensed under chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians
51 licensed under chapter 459.
52 (e) “Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14) and
53 includes a former member of the Florida National Guard who was
54 discharged or separated from service under conditions other than
55 dishonorable or upgraded to an honorable discharge.
56 (3) ESTABLISHMENT.—The department, in collaboration with
57 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Florida Is For Veterans,
58 Inc., and the Department of Economic Opportunity, shall
59 establish and administer the Military Corpsmen and Medics of
60 Florida (MCMF) Program.
61 (4) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the MCMF Program include, but
62 are not limited to, the following:
63 (a) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
64 their spouses in identifying and applying for health care
65 related employment and health care licensure and to connect
66 veterans who have military health care training and who are
67 seeking employment in health care fields with health care
68 organizations seeking to hire dedicated, well-trained workers.
69 (b) Meeting the health care workforce demands of this state
70 by facilitating access to training and education in health care
71 and health care-related fields for veterans and their spouses
72 and to promote the health care licensing programs provided by
73 the state.
74 (c) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
75 their spouses in identifying health care and health care-related
76 industries, occupations, and professions within this state for
77 which they may be immediately qualified to apply or apply for
78 licensure based on previous civilian or military health care
79 training.
80 (d) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
81 their spouses in identifying health care and health care-related
82 education and training programs within this state which will
83 recognize veterans’ and their spouses’ medical skills and allow
84 such veterans and spouses to build on those skills in order to
85 gain employment and work toward obtaining an appropriate health
86 care license.
87 (e) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and
88 their spouses with licensure under ss. 456.024 and 456.0241, if
89 applicable.
90 (5) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The MCMF Program shall consist of
91 the following components:
92 (a) Office of Veterans Advocacy.—
93 1. There is created within the department the MCMF Program
94 Office of Veterans Advocacy.
95 2. The office shall be headed by a MCMF Program Veterans’
96 Advocate, who shall serve on a full-time basis and shall carry
97 out the purposes and functions of the office in accordance with
98 state and federal law.
99 3. The department shall designate the MCMF Program
100 Veterans’ Advocate, who shall manage the development and
101 maintenance of the program through ongoing collaboration with
102 the United States Department of Defense, the Department of
103 Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Economic Opportunity,
104 Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., the Department of Education, and
105 any other identified stakeholders to further the mission of the
106 program.
107 4. The MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate must possess
108 significant advocacy skills and an understanding of the
109 following:
110 a. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery;
111 b. The Armed Forces Qualification Test;
112 c. The Military Occupational Code (MOC) categories;
113 d. The training received by veterans in various MOC
114 categories; and
115 e. The practice requirements of the various comparable
116 department-recognized, licensed occupations and professions.
117 5. The duties of the MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate
118 include, but are not limited to, the following:
119 a. Providing information, guidance, direction, and
120 assistance as needed with the licensure application process or
121 with expedited licensing, as appropriate, to military-trained
122 health care veterans and their spouses transitioning into
123 civilian health care and health care-related industries,
124 occupations, and professions;
125 b. Providing specific information, including available
126 statewide educational and training opportunities and resources
127 for which military-trained health care veterans and their
128 spouses may immediately qualify, on the department’s website and
129 in pamphlet format;
130 c. Providing guidance, direction, and assistance as needed,
131 including specific information on the department’s website and
132 in pamphlet format, for military-trained health care veterans
133 and their spouses on additional education and training required
134 to obtain licensure for health care and health care-related
135 occupations and professions and whether such veterans and
136 spouses may qualify for expedited state licensure in the
137 following health care and health care-related occupations:
138 (I) Licensed registered or practical nurse under ss.
139 464.008, 464.009, 464.0095, and 456.024;
140 (II) Optician under s. 484.007;
141 (III) Certain radiological personnel under part IV of
142 chapter 468;
143 (IV) Emergency medical technician under ss. 401.23(11) and
144 401.27;
145 (V) Paramedic under ss. 401.23(17) and 401.27; and
146 (VI) Any other health care license type for which the
147 department finds a military-trained health care veteran or his
148 or her spouse needs guidance, direction, and assistance.
149 d. Referring any requests to the Department of Economic
150 Opportunity to assist military-trained health care veterans and
151 their spouses in resume writing and proofreading, job
152 application completion, and interviewing skills and techniques.
153 (b) No veteran left behind.—Veterans who do not meet the
154 definition of the term “military-trained health care veteran”
155 but who have served in health care-related fields must receive
156 assistance from the MCMF Program through the Department of
157 Economic Opportunity in resume writing and proofreading,
158 mentorship, and obtaining employment with participating health
159 care providers.
160 (c) Health care leadership.—The MCMF Program, through the
161 Department of Economic Opportunity, shall assist veterans and
162 their spouses who have gained management experience or have
163 completed an advanced degree in finding civilian health care
164 leadership and management employment opportunities in a variety
165 of health care and health care-related disciplines.
166 (d) Promote participating health care providers.—Florida Is
167 For Veterans, Inc., in coordination with the Department of
168 Economic Opportunity, the Department of Health, and the MCMF
169 Program Office of Veterans Advocacy, shall work to fulfill the
170 purposes of the program and to recruit, establish, and maintain
171 a statewide list of the MCMF Program participating health care
172 providers which it shall make available to the department, the
173 MCMF Program, and veterans and their spouses upon request.
174 (6) FEES.—The department shall waive all application fees,
175 certificate fees, and unlicensed activity fees for military
176 trained health care veterans and their spouses.
177 (7) RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The department may adopt rules
178 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.
179 Section 2. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of
180 section 295.22, Florida Statutes, to read:
181 295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.—
182 (3) ADMINISTRATION.—Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., shall
183 administer the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program
184 and perform all of the following functions:
185 (g) Assist the Department of Health in fulfilling the
186 purposes of the Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF)
187 Program as set forth in s. 295.126(4). The corporation shall:
188 1. Recruit health care providers to participate in the MCMF
189 Program and establish and maintain a statewide list, by
190 geographical area, of such participating health care providers
191 as defined in s. 295.126(2) in furtherance of the Legislature’s
192 intent to provide preference, priority, and available waivers to
193 military-trained health care veterans as defined in s.
194 295.126(2) and their spouses for certain educational
195 requirements in the hiring practices set forth in ss. 295.065,
196 295.07, 295.08, and 295.085. Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.,
197 shall make the list available to military-trained health care
198 veterans and their spouses upon request.
199 2. Assist participating health care providers in recruiting
200 and hiring military-trained health care veterans and their
201 spouses by connecting such health care providers with suitable
202 applicants for employment.
203 3. Assist a military-trained health care veteran
204 participating in the program, or the veteran’s spouse, in
205 identifying participating health care providers for potential
206 employment, including providing assistance with resume writing
207 and proofreading, application completion, and interviewing
208 skills. Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., may consult and
209 coordinate with the Department of Economic Opportunity to make
210 referrals for such assistance.
211 4. Assist the MCMF Program military-trained health care
212 veterans and their spouses who have gained management experience
213 or have completed an advanced degree in finding civilian health
214 care leadership and management employment in a variety of health
215 care and health care-related disciplines. Florida Is For
216 Veterans, Inc., may consult and coordinate with the Department
217 of Economic Opportunity to make referrals for such assistance.
218 Section 3. Section 1004.0963, Florida Statutes, is created
219 to read:
220 1004.0963 Postsecondary credit for health care and health
221 care-related military training and education courses.—
222 (1) As used in this section, the term “department boards”
223 means any Department of Health board or the department if there
224 is no board.
225 (2) In consultation with the Department of Veterans’
226 Affairs and the Department of Health, the Board of Governors
227 shall adopt regulations, and the State Board of Education shall
228 adopt rules, to create a process that enables eligible military
229 trained health care veterans as defined in s. 295.126(2) to earn
230 uniform postsecondary educational credit across all Florida
231 public postsecondary educational institutions for college-level
232 education and training acquired while serving in the military.
233 The regulations and rules must include procedures for credential
234 evaluation and the uniform award of postsecondary educational
235 credit and career education academic and clinical clock hours,
236 including, but not limited to, equivalency and alignment of
237 military coursework with appropriate postsecondary educational
238 courses and course descriptions. The regulations and rules must
239 provide for procedures to develop systematically coordinated
240 educational course equivalencies to be set out in the statewide
241 articulation agreement required by s. 1007.23(1) which enable
242 eligible military-trained health care veterans to earn uniform
243 educational course credit and uniform academic and clinical
244 clock hours across all Florida public colleges, universities,
245 training schools, and training programs for education and
246 training acquired in the military.
247 (3) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall convene a
248 workgroup by July 15, 2023, which is responsible for developing
249 a process for determining postsecondary educational course
250 equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational credit
251 for career education and academic and clinical clock hours which
252 must be awarded for courses taken and occupations performed by
253 individuals during their service in the military.
254 (a) The workgroup shall be composed of the following
255 members:
256 1. The chair of the Articulation Coordinating Committee or
257 his or her designee, who shall serve as chair.
258 2. One member representing academic affairs administrators
259 and faculty from state universities with expertise in health
260 care and health care-related industries, occupations, and
261 professions, appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors.
262 3. One member representing academic affairs administrators
263 and faculty from Florida College System institutions with
264 expertise in health care and health care-related industries,
265 occupations, and professions, appointed by the chair of the
266 State Board of Education.
267 4. One member representing faculty from career centers with
268 expertise in health care and health care-related industries,
269 occupations, and professions, appointed by the State Board of
270 Education.
271 5. Two members representing veterans familiar with the
272 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery; the Armed Forces
273 Qualification Test; the Military Occupational Code (MOC)
274 categories; and the training received by veterans in various MOC
275 categories, appointed by the executive director of the
276 Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
277 6. Four faculty members appointed by the appropriate
278 department boards to represent state universities, Florida
279 College System institutions, career centers, training schools,
280 and training programs of this state which train emergency
281 medical technicians, opticians, paramedics, licensed practical
282 nurses, registered nurses, and radiologic technologists, or
283 other health care or health care-related industries,
284 occupations, or professions as deemed appropriate by the
285 department.
286 (b) The Office of K-20 Articulation shall provide
287 administrative support for the workgroup.
288 (c) The workgroup shall establish a process for
289 prioritizing and determining postsecondary educational course
290 equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational credit
291 or career education and academic and clinical clock hours that
292 must be awarded for courses taken and training received for
293 occupations performed by individuals during their service in the
294 military. The workgroup shall provide recommendations to the
295 Board of Governors and the State Board of Education by December
296 1, 2024, for approval at the next meeting of each board to allow
297 for adequate public notice.
298 (d) Upon approval of the workgroup’s recommendations, the
299 Articulation Coordinating Committee must facilitate the review
300 of courses taken and occupations performed by individuals during
301 their service in the military for postsecondary educational
302 course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational
303 credit or career education and academic and clinical clock hours
304 that must be awarded in accordance with the approved process.
305 (e) Within 1 year after approval of the workgroup’s
306 recommendations, the Articulation Coordinating Committee must
307 approve a prioritized list of systematically coordinated
308 postsecondary educational course equivalencies and the minimum
309 postsecondary educational credit for military career education
310 and training and academic and clinical clock hours that must be
311 awarded for courses taken and occupations performed by
312 individuals during their service in the military. The list must
313 be updated annually. The Board of Governors, the department
314 boards, and the State Board of Education must timely adopt the
315 list approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee at the
316 next meeting of each board to allow for adequate public notice.
317 For the purpose of statewide application, postsecondary
318 educational course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary
319 educational credit, career education, and academic and clinical
320 clock hours that must be awarded for courses taken and the
321 training received for occupations performed by individuals
322 during service in the military must be delineated by the State
323 Board of Education and the Board of Governors in the statewide
324 articulation agreement required by s. 1007.23(1).
325 (f) State universities, Florida College System
326 institutions, career centers, training schools, and training
327 programs must award postsecondary educational credit and
328 academic and clinical clock hours for courses taken and training
329 received for occupations performed by individuals during service
330 in the military based on the list adopted by the Board of
331 Governors, the State Board of Education, and the department
332 boards pursuant to paragraph (e) if the educational credit or
333 career education and academic and clinical clock hours can be
334 applied toward the student’s degree or certificate.
335 (g) Postsecondary institutions may award additional
336 educational credit and academic and clinical clock hours, if
337 appropriate. Educational credit or academic and clinical clock
338 hours awarded in accordance with minimum postsecondary
339 educational credit and academic and clinical clock hour
340 requirements, respectively, are guaranteed to transfer to other
341 state universities, Florida College System institutions, career
342 centers, training schools, and training programs.
343 (h) The Articulation Coordinating Committee may form a
344 subcommittee to carry out the committee’s duties under this
345 subsection.
346 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
347
348 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
349 And the title is amended as follows:
350 Delete everything before the enacting clause
351 and insert:
352 A bill to be entitled
353 An act relating to the Military Corpsmen and Medics of
354 Florida (MCMF) Program; creating s. 295.126, F.S.;
355 providing legislative intent; defining terms;
356 establishing the MCMF Program; providing the purposes
357 of the program; providing the components of the
358 program; creating the MCMF Program Office of Veterans
359 Advocacy within the Department of Health; providing
360 that the MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate is the head
361 of the office; providing qualifications of the
362 advocate; prescribing duties of the advocate;
363 requiring the MCMF Program, through the Department of
364 Economic Opportunity, to assist certain veterans and
365 their spouses with specified tasks; requiring Florida
366 Is For Veterans, Inc., to coordinate with specified
367 entities to fulfill the program’s purposes and
368 recruit, establish, and maintain a statewide list of
369 participating health care providers; requiring the
370 department to waive certain fees for specified
371 veterans and their spouses; authorizing the department
372 to adopt rules; amending s. 295.22, F.S.; requiring
373 Florida Is for Veterans, Inc., to collaborate with
374 specified entities to implement the MCMF Program;
375 specifying duties of Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.,
376 related to the program; creating s. 1004.0963, F.S.;
377 defining the term “department boards”; requiring the
378 Board of Governors and the State Board Of Education,
379 in consultation with specified entities, to adopt
380 specified regulations and rules, respectively;
381 requiring the Articulation Coordinating Committee to
382 convene a workgroup by a specified date; providing
383 responsibilities of the workgroup; providing the
384 membership of the workgroup; requiring the Office of
385 K-20 Articulation to provide administrative support to
386 the workgroup; requiring the workgroup to establish a
387 specified process for prioritizing and determining
388 certain course equivalencies and minimum credit or
389 clock hours awarded to certain individuals; requiring
390 the workgroup to provide certain recommendations to
391 the Board of Governors and the State Board of
392 Education by a specified date; requiring the
393 Articulation Coordinating Committee to approve a
394 specified list of certain course equivalencies and
395 credits and clock hours for certain veterans;
396 requiring the committee to annually update the list;
397 requiring specified entities to annually adopt the
398 updated list; providing applicability; requiring
399 specified entities to award credit and clock hours for
400 courses taken and training received by certain
401 veterans under specified conditions; authorizing
402 postsecondary institutions to award additional credit
403 or clock hours if appropriate; providing that certain
404 credit or clock hours earned by veterans under certain
405 conditions are guaranteed to transfer to specified
406 entities; authorizing the Articulation Coordinating
407 Committee to form a certain subcommittee; providing an
408 effective date.