Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 168
       
       
        
       By Senator Latvala
       
       16-00056-17                                            2017168__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to career development for officers and
    3         firefighters; amending s. 110.2035, F.S.; requiring
    4         state agencies to establish a career development plan
    5         for certain purposes; specifying circumstances under
    6         which salary increases must be awarded to officers and
    7         firefighters; prescribing duties to state agencies
    8         with respect to plan implementation; specifying
    9         eligibility criteria; restricting the number of
   10         officers and firefighters who may qualify for each
   11         level; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 110.2035,
   16  Florida Statutes, to read:
   17         110.2035 Classification and compensation program.—
   18         (9)(a) In order to strengthen the ability of state agencies
   19  to provide career development for law enforcement officers,
   20  correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and
   21  firefighters and to retain well-qualified and experienced
   22  officers and firefighters, each state agency that employs such
   23  officers and firefighters shall establish a career development
   24  plan. The plan must be voluntary and must provide salary
   25  increases for officer and firefighter achievements that exceed
   26  the minimum requirements for employment.
   27         (b) Salary increases shall be awarded to an officer or a
   28  firefighter in good standing who achieves and maintains
   29  specified levels of achievement as determined by his or her
   30  employing agency.
   31         (c)1. Each state agency shall provide levels of achievement
   32  for law enforcement officers, correctional officers,
   33  correctional probation officers, and firefighters and shall
   34  develop standards, through collective bargaining, if applicable,
   35  which specify activities that must be successfully completed by
   36  an officer or a firefighter before he or she may attain each
   37  level. The state agency shall document an officer’s or a
   38  firefighter’s specific achievements to attain each level and his
   39  or her completion of a specified number of years of service.
   40         2. Achievements may include the earning of postsecondary
   41  education credits and the completion of leadership or advanced
   42  training. An officer or a firefighter may attain a specified
   43  level by participating in approved activities that advance his
   44  or her professional interests as specified in his or her job
   45  description.
   46         (d) The plan shall be made available to law enforcement
   47  officers, correctional officers, and correctional probation
   48  officers, as each are defined in s. 943.10, and firefighters, as
   49  defined in s. 633.102, in all career service positions. The
   50  number of officers or firefighters who qualify for each level
   51  may not exceed the number of officers or firefighters covered by
   52  the bargaining unit covering such classes of employees in the
   53  agency.
   54         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.