Florida Senate - 2023 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 858
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LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/04/2023 .
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The Committee on Health Policy (Torres) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
6 288.0001, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
7 288.0001 Economic Development Programs Evaluation.—The
8 Office of Economic and Demographic Research and the Office of
9 Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA)
10 shall develop and present to the Governor, the President of the
11 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
12 chairs of the legislative appropriations committees the Economic
13 Development Programs Evaluation.
14 (2) The Office of Economic and Demographic Research and
15 OPPAGA shall provide a detailed analysis of economic development
16 programs as provided in the following schedule:
17 (d) By January 1, 2019, and every 3 years thereafter, an
18 analysis of the program grant and entrepreneur initiative
19 programs established under s. 295.22(2) s. 295.22(3)(d) and (e).
20 Section 2. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 292.05,
21 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
22 292.05 Duties of Department of Veterans’ Affairs.—
23 (1) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall provide
24 assistance to all former, present, and future members of the
25 Armed Forces of the United States and their spouses and
26 dependents in preparing claims for and securing such
27 compensation, hospitalization, career training, and other
28 benefits or privileges to which such persons or any of them are
29 or may become entitled under any federal or state law or
30 regulation by reason of their service in the Armed Forces of the
31 United States. All services rendered under this subsection shall
32 be without charge to the claimant.
33 (5) The department shall conduct an ongoing study on the
34 problems and needs of those residents of this state who are
35 veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States and the
36 problems and needs of their spouses and dependents. The study
37 shall include, but not be limited to:
38 (a) A survey of existing state and federal programs
39 available for such persons that specifies the extent to which
40 such programs presently are being implemented, with
41 recommendations for the improved implementation, extension, or
42 improvement of such programs.
43 (b) A survey of the needs of such persons in the areas of
44 social services, health care, education, and employment, and any
45 other areas of determined need, with recommendations regarding
46 federal, state, and community services that would meet those
47 needs.
48 (c) A survey of federal, state, public, and private moneys
49 available that could be used to defray the costs of state or
50 community services needed for such persons.
51 Section 3. Subsection (2), paragraph (b) of subsection (3),
52 paragraph (g) of subsection (4), and paragraph (a) of subsection
53 (8) of section 295.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
54 295.21 Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.—
55 (2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the corporation is to promote
56 Florida as a veteran-friendly state that seeks to provide
57 veterans and their spouses with employment opportunities and
58 that promotes the hiring of veterans and their spouses by the
59 business community. The corporation shall encourage retired and
60 recently separated military personnel to remain in the state or
61 to make the state their permanent residence. The corporation
62 shall promote the value of military skill sets to businesses in
63 the state, assist in tailoring the training of veterans and
64 their spouses to match the needs of the employment marketplace,
65 and enhance the entrepreneurial skills of veterans and their
66 spouses.
67 (3) DUTIES.—The corporation shall:
68 (b) Advise the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing
69 Corporation, pursuant to s. 295.23, on:
70 1. The target market as identified in paragraph (a).
71 2. Development and implementation of a marketing campaign
72 to encourage members of the target market to remain in the state
73 or to make the state their permanent residence.
74 3. Methods for disseminating information to the target
75 market that relates to the interests and needs of veterans and
76 their spouses of all ages and facilitates veterans’ knowledge of
77 and access to benefits.
78 (4) GOVERNANCE.—
79 (g) A majority of the members of the board of directors
80 constitutes a quorum. Board Council meetings may be held via
81 teleconference or other electronic means.
82 (8) ANNUAL REPORT.—The corporation shall submit an annual
83 progress report and work plan by December 1 to the Governor, the
84 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
85 Representatives. The report must include:
86 (a) Status and summary of findings regarding the target
87 market, veteran and spouse benefits, and any identified gaps in
88 services.
89 Section 4. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section 295.22,
90 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
91 295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.—
92 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—The Legislature finds
93 that the state has a compelling interest in ensuring that each
94 veteran or his or her spouse who is a resident of the state
95 finds employment that meets his or her professional goals and
96 receives the training or education necessary to meet those
97 goals. The Legislature also finds that connecting dedicated,
98 well-trained veterans with businesses that need a dedicated,
99 well-trained workforce is of paramount importance. The
100 Legislature recognizes that veterans or their spouses may not
101 currently have the skills to meet the workforce needs of Florida
102 employers and may require assistance in obtaining additional
103 workforce training or in transitioning their skills to meet the
104 demands of the marketplace. It is the intent of the Legislature
105 that the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program
106 coordinate and meet the needs of veterans and their spouses and
107 the business community to enhance the economy of this state.
108 (2) CREATION.—The Veterans Employment and Training Services
109 Program is created within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to
110 assist in linking veterans or their spouses in search of
111 employment with businesses seeking to hire dedicated, well
112 trained workers. The purpose of the program is to meet the
113 workforce demands of businesses in the state by facilitating
114 access to training and education in high-demand fields for
115 veterans or their spouses.
116 (3) ADMINISTRATION.—Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., shall
117 administer the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program
118 and perform all of the following functions:
119 (a) Conduct marketing and recruiting efforts directed at
120 veterans or their spouses who reside in or who have an interest
121 in relocating to this state and who are seeking employment.
122 Marketing must include information related to how a veteran’s
123 military experience can be valuable to a business. Such efforts
124 may include attending veteran job fairs and events, hosting
125 events for veterans and their spouses or the business community,
126 and using digital and social media and direct mail campaigns.
127 The corporation shall also include such marketing as part of its
128 main marketing campaign.
129 (b) Assist veterans or their spouses who reside in or
130 relocate to this state and who are seeking employment. The
131 corporation shall offer skills assessments to veterans or their
132 spouses and assist them in establishing employment goals and
133 applying for and achieving gainful employment.
134 1. Assessment may include skill match information, skill
135 gap analysis, resume creation, translation of military skills
136 into civilian workforce skills, and translation of military
137 achievements and experience into generally understood civilian
138 workforce skills.
139 2. Assistance may include providing the veteran or his or
140 her spouse with information on current workforce demand by
141 industry or geographic region, creating employment goals, and
142 aiding or teaching general knowledge related to completing
143 applications. The corporation may provide information related to
144 industry certifications approved by the Department of Education
145 under s. 1008.44 as well as information related to earning
146 academic college credit at public postsecondary educational
147 institutions for college-level training and education acquired
148 in the military under s. 1004.096.
149 3. The corporation shall encourage veterans or their
150 spouses to register with the state’s job bank system and may
151 refer veterans to local one-stop career centers for further
152 services. The corporation shall provide each veteran with
153 information about state workforce programs and shall consolidate
154 information about all available resources on one website that,
155 if possible, includes a hyperlink to each resource’s website and
156 contact information, if available.
157 4. Assessment and assistance may be in person or by
158 electronic means, as determined by the corporation to be most
159 efficient and best meet the needs of veterans or their spouses.
160 (c) Assist Florida businesses in recruiting and hiring
161 veterans and veterans’ spouses. The corporation shall provide
162 services to Florida businesses to meet their hiring needs by
163 connecting businesses with suitable veteran applicants for
164 employment. Suitable applicants include veterans or veterans’
165 spouses who have appropriate job skills or may need additional
166 training to meet the specific needs of a business. The
167 corporation shall also provide information about the state and
168 federal benefits of hiring veterans.
169 (d) Create a grant program to provide funding to assist
170 veterans in meeting the workforce-skill needs of businesses
171 seeking to hire, promote, or generally improve specialized
172 skills of veterans, establish criteria for approval of requests
173 for funding, and maximize the use of funding for this program.
174 Grant funds may be used only in the absence of available
175 veteran-specific federally funded programs. Grants may fund
176 specialized training specific to a particular business.
177 1. If grant funds are used to provide a technical
178 certificate, a licensure, or a degree, funds may be allocated
179 only upon a review that includes, but is not limited to,
180 documentation of accreditation and licensure. Instruction funded
181 through the program terminates when participants demonstrate
182 competence at the level specified in the request but may not
183 exceed 12 months. Preference shall be given to target industry
184 businesses, as defined in s. 288.106, and to businesses in the
185 defense supply, cloud virtualization, health care, or commercial
186 aviation manufacturing industries.
187 2. Costs and expenditures shall be limited to $8,000 per
188 veteran trainee. Qualified businesses must cover the entire cost
189 for all of the training provided before receiving reimbursement
190 from the corporation equal to 50 percent of the cost to train a
191 veteran who is a permanent, full-time employee. Eligible costs
192 and expenditures include:
193 a. Tuition and fees.
194 b. Books and classroom materials.
195 c. Rental fees for facilities.
196 3. Before funds are allocated for a request pursuant to
197 this section, the corporation shall prepare a grant agreement
198 between the business requesting funds and the corporation. Such
199 agreement must include, but need not be limited to:
200 a. Identification of the personnel necessary to conduct the
201 instructional program, instructional program description, and
202 any vendors used to conduct the instructional program.
203 b. Identification of the estimated duration of the
204 instructional program.
205 c. Identification of all direct, training-related costs.
206 d. Identification of special program requirements that are
207 not otherwise addressed in the agreement.
208 e. Permission to access aggregate information specific to
209 the wages and performance of participants upon the completion of
210 instruction for evaluation purposes. The agreement must specify
211 that any evaluation published subsequent to the instruction may
212 not identify the employer or any individual participant.
213 4. A business may receive a grant under the Quick-Response
214 Training Program created under s. 288.047 and a grant under this
215 section for the same veteran trainee. If a business receives
216 funds under both programs, one grant agreement may be entered
217 into with CareerSource Florida, Inc., as the grant
218 administrator.
219 (e) Contract with one or more entities to administer an
220 entrepreneur initiative program for veterans in this state which
221 connects business leaders in the state with veterans seeking to
222 become entrepreneurs.
223 1. The corporation shall award each contract in accordance
224 with the competitive bidding requirements in s. 287.057 to one
225 or more public or private entities that:
226 a. Demonstrate the ability to implement the program and the
227 commitment of resources, including financial resources, to such
228 programs.
229 b. Have a demonstrated experience working with veteran
230 entrepreneurs.
231 c. As determined by the corporation, have been recognized
232 for their performance in assisting entrepreneurs to launch
233 successful businesses in the state.
234 2. Each contract must include performance metrics,
235 including a focus on employment and business creation. The
236 entity may also work with a university or college offering
237 related programs to refer veterans or to provide services. The
238 entrepreneur initiative program may include activities and
239 assistance such as peer-to-peer learning sessions, mentoring,
240 technical assistance, business roundtables, networking
241 opportunities, support of student organizations, speaker series,
242 or other tools within a virtual environment.
243 (f) As the state’s principal assistance organization under
244 the United States Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program
245 for qualified businesses in this state and for transitioning
246 servicemembers who reside in, or who wish to reside in, this
247 state, the corporation shall:
248 1. Establish and maintain, as applicable, its certification
249 for the SkillBridge program or any other similar workforce
250 training and transition programs established by the United
251 States Department of Defense;
252 2. Educate businesses, business associations, and
253 transitioning servicemembers on the SkillBridge program and its
254 benefits, and educate military command and personnel within the
255 state on the opportunities available to transitioning
256 servicemembers through the SkillBridge program;
257 3. Assist businesses in obtaining approval for skilled
258 workforce training curricula under the SkillBridge program,
259 including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, internships, or
260 fellowships; and
261 4. Match transitioning servicemembers who are deemed
262 eligible for SkillBridge participation by their military command
263 with training opportunities offered by the corporation or
264 participating businesses, with the intent of having
265 transitioning servicemembers achieve gainful employment in this
266 state upon completion of their SkillBridge training.
267 (g) Assist veterans and their spouses in accessing
268 training, education, and employment in health care professions.
269 (h) Coordinate with the Office of Veteran Licensure
270 Services within the Department of Health to assist veterans and
271 their spouses in obtaining licensure pursuant to s. 456.024.
272 Section 5. Subsection (13) of section 456.013, Florida
273 Statutes, is amended to read:
274 456.013 Department; general licensing provisions.—
275 (13) The department shall waive the initial licensing fee,
276 the initial application fee, and the initial unlicensed activity
277 fee for a military veteran or his or her spouse at the time of
278 discharge, if he or she applies to the department for an initial
279 license within 60 months after the veteran is honorably
280 discharged from any branch of the United States Armed Forces.
281 The applicant must apply for the fee waiver using a form
282 prescribed by the department and must submit supporting
283 documentation as required by the department.
284 Section 6. Section 456.024, Florida Statutes, is amended to
285 read:
286 456.024 Members of Armed Forces and veterans in good
287 standing with administrative boards or the department; spouses;
288 licensure.—
289 (1) A Any member of the United States Armed Forces of the
290 United States now or hereafter on active duty who, at the time
291 of becoming such a member, was in good standing with a health
292 care practitioner any administrative board of the state, or the
293 department when there is no board, and was entitled to practice
294 a health care or engage in his or her profession or vocation in
295 this the state shall be kept in good standing by such
296 administrative board, or the department when there is no board,
297 without registering, paying dues or fees, or performing any
298 other act on his or her part to be performed, as long as the
299 member is he or she is a member of the Armed Forces of the
300 United States on active duty and for a period of 6 months after
301 discharge and from active duty as a member of the Armed Forces
302 of the United States, provided he or she is not practicing
303 engaged in his or her licensed profession or vocation in the
304 private sector for profit.
305 (2) The department shall waive the initial licensing fee,
306 the initial application fee, and the initial unlicensed activity
307 fee for a veteran or his or her spouse if the veteran is
308 honorably discharged from any branch of the United States Armed
309 Forces. The applicant must apply for the fee waiver using a form
310 prescribed by the department and must submit supporting
311 documentation as required by the department. The applicant may
312 apply for a fee waiver up to 6 months before discharge.
313 (3) The boards listed in s. 20.43, or the department when
314 there is no board, shall adopt rules exempting the spouses of
315 members of the Armed Forces of the United States from licensure
316 renewal provisions, but only in cases of absence from the state
317 because of their spouses’ duties with the Armed Forces.
318 (4)(a)(3)(a) A person is eligible for licensure as a health
319 care practitioner in this state if he or she:
320 1. Serves or has served as a health care practitioner in
321 the United States Armed Forces, the United States Reserve
322 Forces, or the National Guard;
323 2. Serves or has served on active duty with the United
324 States Armed Forces as a health care practitioner in the United
325 States Public Health Service; or
326 3. Is a health care practitioner in another state, the
327 District of Columbia, or a possession or territory of the United
328 States and is the spouse of a person serving on active duty with
329 the United States Armed Forces.
330
331 The department shall develop an application form, and each
332 board, or the department if there is no board, shall waive the
333 application fee, licensure fee, and unlicensed activity fee for
334 such applicants. For purposes of this subsection, “health care
335 practitioner” means a health care practitioner as defined in s.
336 456.001 and a person licensed under part III of chapter 401 or
337 part IV of chapter 468.
338 (b) The board, or the department if there is no board,
339 shall issue a license to practice in this state to a person who:
340 1. Submits a complete application.
341 2. If he or she is a member of the United States Armed
342 Forces, the United States Reserve Forces, or the National Guard,
343 submits proof that he or she has received an honorable discharge
344 within 6 months before, or will receive an honorable discharge
345 within 6 months after, the date of submission of the
346 application.
347 3.a. Holds an active, unencumbered license issued by
348 another state, the District of Columbia, or a possession or
349 territory of the United States and who has not had disciplinary
350 action taken against him or her in the 5 years preceding the
351 date of submission of the application;
352 b. Is a military health care practitioner in a profession
353 for which licensure in a state or jurisdiction is not required
354 to practice in the United States Armed Forces, if he or she
355 submits to the department evidence of military training or
356 experience substantially equivalent to the requirements for
357 licensure in this state in that profession and evidence that he
358 or she has obtained a passing score on the appropriate
359 examination of a national or regional standards organization if
360 required for licensure in this state; or
361 c. Is the spouse of a person serving on active duty in the
362 United States Armed Forces and is a health care practitioner in
363 a profession for which licensure in another state or
364 jurisdiction is not required, if he or she submits to the
365 department evidence of training or experience substantially
366 equivalent to the requirements for licensure in this state in
367 that profession and evidence that he or she has obtained a
368 passing score on the appropriate examination of a national or
369 regional standards organization if required for licensure in
370 this state.
371 4. Attests that he or she is not, at the time of submission
372 of the application, the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in
373 a jurisdiction in which he or she holds a license or by the
374 United States Department of Defense for reasons related to the
375 practice of the profession for which he or she is applying.
376 5. Actively practiced the profession for which he or she is
377 applying for the 3 years preceding the date of submission of the
378 application.
379 6. Submits a set of fingerprints for a background screening
380 pursuant to s. 456.0135, if required for the profession for
381 which he or she is applying.
382
383 The department shall verify information submitted by the
384 applicant under this subsection using the National Practitioner
385 Data Bank.
386 (c) Each applicant who meets the requirements of this
387 subsection shall be licensed with all rights and
388 responsibilities as defined by law. The applicable board, or the
389 department if there is no board, may deny an application if the
390 applicant has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo
391 contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a any felony or
392 misdemeanor related to the practice of a health care profession
393 regulated by this state.
394 (d) An applicant for initial licensure under this
395 subsection must submit the information required by ss.
396 456.039(1) and 456.0391(1) no later than 1 year after the
397 license is issued.
398 (5)(a)(4)(a) The board, or the department if there is no
399 board, shall issue a professional license to the spouse of an
400 active duty member of the United States Armed Forces of the
401 United States who submits all of the following to the
402 department:
403 1. A completed application upon a form prepared and
404 furnished by the department in accordance with the board’s
405 rules.;
406 2. Proof that the applicant is married to a member of the
407 United States Armed Forces of the United States who is on active
408 duty.;
409 3. Proof that the applicant holds a valid license for the
410 profession issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or
411 a possession or territory of the United States, and is not the
412 subject of any disciplinary proceeding in any jurisdiction in
413 which the applicant holds a license to practice a profession
414 regulated by this chapter.;
415 4. Proof that the applicant’s spouse is assigned to a duty
416 station in this state pursuant to the member’s official active
417 duty military orders.; and
418 5. Proof that the applicant would otherwise be entitled to
419 full licensure under the appropriate practice act, and is
420 eligible to take the respective licensure examination as
421 required in Florida.
422 (b) The applicant must also submit to the Department of Law
423 Enforcement a complete set of fingerprints. The Department of
424 Law Enforcement shall conduct a statewide criminal history check
425 and forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of
426 Investigation for a national criminal history check.
427 (c) Each board, or the department if there is no board,
428 shall review the results of the state and federal criminal
429 history checks according to the level 2 screening standards in
430 s. 435.04 when granting an exemption and when granting or
431 denying the license.
432 (d) The applicant shall pay the cost of fingerprint
433 processing. If the fingerprints are submitted through an
434 authorized agency or vendor, the agency or vendor shall collect
435 the required processing fees and remit the fees to the
436 Department of Law Enforcement.
437 (e) The department shall waive the applicant’s licensure
438 application fee.
439 (f) An applicant for a license under this subsection is
440 subject to the requirements under s. 456.013(3)(a) and (c).
441 (g) An applicant shall be deemed ineligible for a license
442 pursuant to this section if the applicant:
443 1. Has been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to,
444 regardless of adjudication, any felony or misdemeanor related to
445 the practice of a health care profession;
446 2. Has had a health care provider license revoked or
447 suspended from another of the United States, the District of
448 Columbia, or a United States territory;
449 3. Has been reported to the National Practitioner Data
450 Bank, unless the applicant has successfully appealed to have his
451 or her name removed from the data bank; or
452 4. Has previously failed the Florida examination required
453 to receive a license to practice the profession for which the
454 applicant is seeking a license.
455 (h) The board, or the department if there is no board, may
456 revoke a license upon finding that the individual violated the
457 profession’s governing practice act.
458 (i) The board, or the department if there is no board,
459 shall expedite all applications submitted by a spouse of an
460 active duty member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces
461 of the United States pursuant to this subsection and shall issue
462 a license within 7 days after receipt of all required
463 documentation for such application.
464 (6)(5) The spouse of a person serving on active duty with
465 the United States Armed Forces shall have a defense to any
466 citation and related cause of action brought under s. 456.065 if
467 the following conditions are met:
468 (a) The spouse holds an active, unencumbered license issued
469 by another state or jurisdiction to provide health care services
470 for which there is no equivalent license in this state.
471 (b) The spouse is providing health care services within the
472 scope of practice of the out-of-state license.
473 (c) The training or experience required by the out-of-state
474 license is substantially similar to the license requirements to
475 practice a similar health care profession in this state.
476 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection
477 (6) of section 456.0241, Florida Statutes, are amended, and a
478 new subsection (7) is added to that section, to read:
479 456.0241 Temporary certificate for active duty military
480 health care practitioners.—
481 (2) The department may issue a temporary certificate to an
482 active duty military health care practitioner to practice in a
483 regulated profession in this state if the applicant:
484 (b) Submits a complete application and a nonrefundable
485 application fee.
486
487 The department shall verify information submitted by the
488 applicant under this subsection using the National Practitioner
489 Data Bank.
490 (6) The department shall, by rule, set an application fee
491 not to exceed $50 and a renewal fee not to exceed $50.
492 (7) The department shall waive the temporary licensing fee.
493 Section 8. Section 456.0242, Florida Statutes, is created
494 to read:
495 456.0242 Office of Veteran Licensure Services.—
496 (1) The Office of Veteran Licensure Services is established
497 within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance. The office
498 shall assist active duty members of the United States Armed
499 Forces, the United States Reserve Forces, and the National
500 Guard, veterans, and the spouses of veterans who seek to become
501 a licensed health care practitioner in this state.
502 (2) The office shall be headed by an executive director,
503 designated by the department, who must be a veteran.
504 (3) The office shall:
505 (a) Provide information, guidance, direction, and
506 assistance with the licensure process.
507 (b) Coordinate with each board, or the department if there
508 is no board, to expedite all applications submitted pursuant to
509 s. 456.024.
510 (c) Refer an individual requesting assistance with resume
511 writing and proofreading, job application completion, and
512 interviewing skills and techniques to Florida Is For Veterans,
513 Inc.
514 (d) Refer an individual requesting information about
515 educational or employment opportunities in health care
516 professions to Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.
517 (e) Submit a report by November 11 of each year to the
518 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
519 House of Representatives. The report must categorize each
520 individual as an active duty member, a veteran, or a veteran’s
521 spouse and must include, but is not limited to:
522 1. The number of individuals served.
523 2. The educational and training background of each
524 individual seeking licensure.
525 3. Each health care license an individual holds in another
526 state, irrespective of the current status of such license.
527 4. The number of licensure applications received.
528 5. The average number of calendar days required to license
529 a qualified applicant.
530 6. The number of referrals made for vocational assistance.
531 (4) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement
532 this section.
533 Section 9. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, four full-time
534 equivalent positions with associated salary rate of 223,879 are
535 authorized and the sums of $380,209 in recurring funds and
536 $19,356 in nonrecurring funds from the Medical Quality Assurance
537 Trust Fund are appropriated to the Department of Health for the
538 purpose of implementing this act.
539 Section 10. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
540
541 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
542 And the title is amended as follows:
543 Delete everything before the enacting clause
544 and insert:
545 A bill to be entitled
546 An act relating to benefits, training, and employment
547 for veterans and their spouses; amending s. 288.0001,
548 F.S.; requiring the Economic Development Programs
549 Evaluation to include a periodic analysis of the
550 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program;
551 amending ss. 292.05 and 295.21, F.S.; revising the
552 duties of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and
553 Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., respectively, to
554 include provision of certain assistance to veterans’
555 spouses; amending s. 295.22, F.S.; revising
556 legislative findings and intent; revising the purpose
557 and duties of the Veterans Employment and Training
558 Services Program to include provision of certain
559 assistance to veterans’ spouses; requiring priority
560 for the award of certain grants to be given to
561 businesses in the health care industry; removing
562 provisions authorizing grant administration by
563 CareerSource Florida, Inc.; requiring Florida Is For
564 Veterans, Inc., to assist veterans or their spouses in
565 accessing employment and licensure in health care
566 professions; amending s. 456.013, F.S.; deleting
567 provisions relating to the waiver of certain fees for
568 veterans or their spouses; amending s. 456.024, F.S.;
569 requiring the Department of Health to waive certain
570 fees for veterans and their spouses under certain
571 circumstances; providing requirements for application
572 for such waiver; deleting a limitation on the period
573 in which a member of the United States Armed Forces
574 must receive an honorable discharge from service in
575 order to be issued a license to practice a health care
576 profession in this state; requiring the appropriate
577 board or the department to expedite health care
578 licensure applications submitted by veterans and to
579 issue a license within a specified period; amending s.
580 456.0241, F.S.; deleting provisions relating to
581 application and renewal fees for temporary
582 certification of an active duty military health care
583 practitioner to practice in a regulated profession in
584 this state; requiring the department to waive the
585 temporary licensing fee; creating s. 456.0242, F.S.;
586 establishing the Office of Veteran Licensure Services
587 within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance;
588 requiring the office to designate a veteran as
589 executive director of the office; providing duties of
590 the office; requiring an annual report to the Governor
591 and Legislature; providing report requirements;
592 authorizing the department to adopt rules; providing
593 appropriations and authorizing positions; providing an
594 effective date.