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  Legislatures 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         1004.0963Postsecondary 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.