Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1396
By Senator Cruz
18-01296-22 20221396__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Educational Dollars for Duty
3 program; amending s. 250.10, F.S.; revising
4 eligibility for the Educational Dollars for Duty
5 program (EDD) to include members of the Florida
6 National Guard who enroll in an accredited or licensed
7 online degree program provided by a public or
8 nonpublic postsecondary institution or technical
9 center in this state or another state; conforming
10 requirements for online courses included in the EDD;
11 conforming requirements for adoption of tuition
12 payment guidelines by the Adjutant General; providing
13 an effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 250.10, Florida
18 Statutes, is amended to read:
19 250.10 Appointment and duties of the Adjutant General.—
20 (7) The Adjutant General shall develop an education
21 assistance program for members in good standing of the Florida
22 National Guard who enroll in an authorized course of study at a
23 public or nonpublic postsecondary institution or technical
24 center in this the state, or who enroll in an authorized course
25 of study through an online degree program provided by a public
26 or nonpublic postsecondary institution or technical center in
27 this state or another state, which postsecondary institution or
28 technical center has been accredited by an accrediting body
29 recognized by the United States Department of Education or
30 licensed by the Commission for Independent Education. Education
31 assistance also may be used for training to obtain industry
32 certifications approved by the Department of Education pursuant
33 to s. 1008.44 and continuing education to maintain license
34 certifications. The education assistance program shall be known
35 as the Educational Dollars for Duty program (EDD).
36 (a) The program shall establish application requirements,
37 including, but not limited to, requirements that the applicant:
38 1. Be 17 years of age or older.
39 2. Be presently domiciled in the state.
40 3. Be an active drilling member and in good standing in the
41 Florida National Guard at the beginning of and throughout the
42 entire academic term for which benefits are received.
43 4. Maintain continuous satisfactory participation in the
44 Florida National Guard for the school term for which benefits
45 are received.
46 5. Upon enrollment in the program, complete a memorandum of
47 agreement to:
48 a. Comply with the rules of the program.
49 b. Serve in the Florida National Guard for the period
50 specified in the member’s enlistment or reenlistment contract.
51 c. Authorize the release of information pursuant to
52 subparagraph (d)6. by the postsecondary institution or technical
53 center to the education service office of the Department of
54 Military Affairs, subject to applicable federal and state law.
55 (b) The program shall define those members of the Florida
56 National Guard who are ineligible to participate in the program
57 and those courses of study which are not authorized for the
58 program.
59 1. Ineligible members include, but are not limited to, a
60 member, commissioned officer, warrant officer, or enlisted
61 person who has obtained a master’s degree using the program.
62 2. Inactive members of the Florida National Guard and
63 members of the Individual Ready Reserve are not eligible to
64 participate in the program.
65 3. Courses not authorized include noncredit courses,
66 courses that do not meet degree requirements, courses that do
67 not meet requirements for completion of career training, or
68 other courses as determined by program definitions.
69 4. The program may not pay repeat course fees.
70 (c) The program may include, but is not limited to:
71 1. Courses at a public or nonpublic postsecondary
72 institution or technical center in this the state, or online
73 degree program courses provided by a public or nonpublic
74 postsecondary institution or technical center in this state or
75 another state, which postsecondary institution or technical
76 center is accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the
77 United States Department of Education or licensed by the
78 Commission for Independent Education.
79 2. Training to obtain industry certifications, limited to
80 certifications approved by the Department of Education under s.
81 1008.44.
82 3. Continuing education to maintain a license or
83 certification. Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)1., members who
84 have obtained a master’s degree using the program are eligible
85 for funding under this subparagraph.
86 4. Licensing and industry certification examination fees.
87 Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)1., members who have obtained a
88 master’s degree using the program are eligible for funding under
89 this subparagraph.
90 5. Notwithstanding subparagraph (b)3., developmental
91 educational courses.
92 (d) The Adjutant General shall adopt rules for the overall
93 policy, guidance, administration, implementation, and proper use
94 of the program. Such rules must include, but need not be limited
95 to:
96 1. Guidelines for certification by the Adjutant General of
97 a guard member’s eligibility.
98 2. Procedures for notification to a postsecondary
99 institution or technical center of a guard member’s termination
100 of eligibility.
101 3. Guidelines for approving courses of study that are
102 authorized for the program, including online courses, industry
103 certification training, and continuing education to maintain
104 license certifications.
105 4. Guidelines for approving the use of program funds for
106 licensing and industry certification examination fees.
107 5. Procedures for restitution when a guard member fails to
108 comply with the penalties described in this section.
109 6. Procedures that require a public or nonpublic
110 postsecondary institution or technical center that receives
111 funding from the program to provide information regarding course
112 enrollment, course withdrawal, course cancellation, course
113 completion, course failure, and grade verification of enrolled
114 members to the education service office of the Department of
115 Military Affairs.
116 7. Guidelines for the payment of tuition and fees, not to
117 exceed the highest in-state tuition rate charged by a public
118 postsecondary institution in this the state or, in the case of
119 an online degree program, the highest tuition rate charged by a
120 program provided by a public postsecondary institution in this
121 state or another state.
122 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.