HB 1753
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to law enforcement officer training;
3	amending s. 943.16, F.S.; requiring trainees attending
4	approved basic recruit training programs to reimburse an
5	employing agency for tuition, other course expenses,
6	wages, and benefits paid by the agency if the employee
7	terminates his or her employment or appointment within a
8	specified time period after graduation; providing a
9	schedule for reimbursement of a trainee's wages and
10	benefits; authorizing an employing agency to institute
11	civil action under certain circumstances; providing
12	definitions; providing applicability; authorizing an
13	employing agency to waive reimbursement requirements
14	under certain circumstances; providing a conditional
15	effective date.
16
17	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19	Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 943.16, Florida
20	Statutes, is amended, and subsections (4),(5), (6), and (7)
21	are added to said section, to read:
22	943.16 Payment of tuition or officer certification
23	examination fee by employing agency; reimbursement of tuition,
24	other course expenses, wages, and benefits.--
25	(2)(a)A trainee who attends such approved training
26	program at the expense of an employing agency must remain in
27	the employment or appointment of such employing agency for a
28	period of not less than 2 years1 year. If employment or
29	appointment is terminated on the trainee's own initiative
30	within 2 years1 year, he or she shall reimburse the employing
31	agency for the full cost of his or her participation; and such
32	employing agency may institute a civil action to collect such
33	tuition cost if it is not reimbursedtuition, other course
34	expenses, and additional amounts as provided in paragraph (b).
35	(b) In addition to reimbursement for the full cost of
36	tuition and other course expenses, a trainee terminating
37	employment as provided in paragraph (a) shall reimburse the
38	employing agency for the trainee’s wages and benefits paid by
39	the employing agency during the academy training period
40	according to the following schedule:
41	1. For a trainee terminating employment within 6 months
42	of graduation from the basic recruit training program, the
43	full amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy
44	training period.
45	2. For a trainee terminating employment within 6 months
46	and 1 day to 12 months of graduation from the basic recruit
47	training program, an amount equal to three-fourths of the full
48	amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy training
49	period.
50	3. For a trainee terminating employment within 12 months
51	and 1 day to 18 months of graduation from the basic recruit
52	training program, an amount equal to one-half of the full
53	amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy training
54	period.
55	4. For a trainee terminating employment within 18 months
56	and 1 day to 24 months of graduation from the basic recruit
57	training program, an amount equal to one-fourth of the full
58	amount of wages and benefits paid during the academy training
59	period.
60	(4) An employing agency may institute a civil action to
61	collect such cost of tuition, other course expenses, wages,
62	and benefits as provided in this section if it is not
63	reimbursed, provided that the employing agency gave written
64	notification to the trainee of the 2-year employment
65	commitment during the employment screening process. The
66	trainee shall return signed acknowledgement of receipt of such
67	notification.
68	(5) For purposes of this section, “academy training
69	period” means the period of time that a trainee is attending
70	an approved basic recruit training program in a law
71	enforcement or correctional officer academy class for purposes
72	of obtaining certification pursuant to chapter 943, until the
73	date of graduation from such class. The term “other course
74	expenses” includes the cost of meals.
75	(6) This section does not apply to trainees who
76	terminate employment with the employing agency and resign
77	their certification upon termination in order to obtain
78	employment for which certification under chapter 943 is not
79	required. Further, this section does not apply to trainees
80	attending auxiliary officer training.
81	(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an
82	employing agency may waive a trainee’s requirement of
83	reimbursement in part or in full when the trainee terminates
84	employment due to hardship or extenuating circumstances.
85	Section 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2003,
86	and shall apply to basic recruit training classes commencing
87	after that date.