Florida Senate - 2016 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 440
Ì915720|Î915720
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
11/17/2015 .
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The Committee on Criminal Justice (Clemens) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment
2
3 Delete lines 45 - 110
4 and insert:
5 (d) “Veterinary care” means the practice of veterinary
6 medicine as defined in s. 474.202 by a veterinarian. The term
7 includes annual wellness examinations, vaccines, internal and
8 external parasite prevention treatments, testing and treatment
9 of illnesses and diseases, medications, emergency care and
10 surgeries, specialty care such as veterinary oncology,
11 euthanasia, and cremation.
12 (3) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that:
13 (a) Law enforcement dogs have become an integral part of
14 many law enforcement efforts statewide, including the
15 apprehension of suspects through tracking and searching,
16 evidence location, drug and bomb detection, and search and
17 rescue operations;
18 (b) Law enforcement agencies agree that the use of law
19 enforcement dogs is an extremely cost-effective means of crime
20 control and that these dogs possess skills and abilities that
21 frequently exceed those of existing technology;
22 (c) The service of law enforcement dogs is often dangerous
23 and can expose them to injury at a rate higher than that of
24 nonservice dogs; and
25 (d) Law enforcement dogs provide significant contributions
26 to the residents of this state.
27 (4) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.-The Care for Retired Law
28 Enforcement Dogs Program is created within the department to
29 provide a stable funding source for veterinary care provided to
30 these dogs.
31 (5) ADMINISTRATION.—The department shall contract with a
32 corporation not for profit organized under chapter 617 to
33 administer and manage the Care for Retired Law Enforcement Dogs
34 Program. Notwithstanding chapter 287, the department shall
35 select a corporation not for profit through a competitive grant
36 award process which:
37 (a) Is dedicated to the protection or care of retired law
38 enforcement dogs;
39 (b) Is exempt from taxation under s. 501(a) of the Internal
40 Revenue Code as an organization described in s. 501(c)(3) of
41 that code;
42 (c) Has maintained such tax-exempt status for at least 5
43 years;
44 (d) Agrees to be subject to review and audit at the
45 discretion of the Auditor General in order to ensure accurate
46 accounting and disbursement of state funds; and
47 (e) Demonstrates the ability to effectively and efficiently
48 disseminate information and to assist former handlers and
49 adopters of retired law enforcement dogs in complying with this
50 section.
51 (6) FUNDING.—
52 (a) The corporation not for profit shall be the disbursing
53 authority for funds appropriated by the Legislature to the
54 department for the Care for Retired Law Enforcement Dogs
55 Program. These funds shall be disbursed to the former handler or
56 adopter of a retired law enforcement dog upon receipt of:
57 1. Valid documentation from the law enforcement agency from
58 which the dog retired which verifies that the dog was in the
59 service of or employed by such agency; and
60 2. A valid invoice from a veterinarian for veterinary care
61 provided in this state to a retired law enforcement dog and
62 documentation establishing payment of the invoice by the former
63 handler or adopter of a retired law enforcement dog.
64 (b) Annual disbursements to a former handler or adopter to
65 reimburse him or her for the cost of veterinary care provided to
66 a retired law enforcement dog may not exceed $1,500 per dog. A
67 former handler or adopter of a retired law enforcement dog may
68 not accumulate unused funds from a current year for use in a
69 future year.
70 (c) A former handler or adopter of a retired law
71 enforcement dog who seeks reimbursement for veterinary care