Florida Senate - 2022                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 466
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì529498fÎ529498                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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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 Legislatures
  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         1004.0963Postsecondary 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.