Bill Text: FL S1566 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Military and Veteran Support

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-03-10 - Died in Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security [S1566 Detail]

Download: Florida-2018-S1566-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2018                                    SB 1566
       
       
        
       By Senator Grimsley
       
       
       
       
       
       26-00170-18                                           20181566__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to military and veteran support;
    3         creating s. 295.156, F.S.; requiring the Department of
    4         Veterans’ Affairs, subject to appropriation, to
    5         contract with individuals and entities to provide
    6         alternative treatment options for certain veterans;
    7         defining the term “alternative treatment”; requiring
    8         alternative treatment to be provided under the
    9         direction and supervision of certain licensed
   10         individuals; requiring a contracted individual or
   11         entity to submit an annual report to the department;
   12         amending s. 454.021, F.S.; authorizing the Supreme
   13         Court of Florida to admit on motion a bar applicant
   14         who is the spouse of a servicemember stationed in this
   15         state under certain circumstances; providing for
   16         construction; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; requiring the
   17         Department of Education to expedite the processing of
   18         an application for educator certification submitted by
   19         the spouse of a servicemember stationed in this state;
   20         requiring the State Board of Education to adopt rules
   21         regarding extending validity of a temporary
   22         certificate if the applicant is the spouse of a
   23         servicemember stationed in this state; providing
   24         legislative findings and intent regarding continuing
   25         education for veterans of the United States Armed
   26         Forces; providing legislative intent to require
   27         collaboration between the State Board of Education and
   28         the Board of Governors of the State University System
   29         in achieving specified goals regarding educational
   30         opportunities for veterans; providing an effective
   31         date.
   32          
   33  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   34  
   35         Section 1. Section 295.156, Florida Statutes, is created to
   36  read:
   37         295.156Alternative treatment options for veterans.—
   38         (1)Subject to legislative appropriation, the Department of
   39  Veterans’ Affairs shall contract with one or more individuals,
   40  corporations not for profit, state universities, or Florida
   41  College System institutions that have a background in veterans’
   42  health care to provide alternative treatment options for
   43  veterans who have been certified by the United States Department
   44  of Veterans Affairs or any branch of the United States Armed
   45  Forces as having a traumatic brain injury or posttraumatic
   46  stress disorder. For purposes of this section, the term
   47  “alternative treatment” means a therapeutic service that is not
   48  part of the standard of medical care established by the United
   49  States Department of Veterans Affairs for treating traumatic
   50  brain injury or posttraumatic stress disorder but has been shown
   51  by at least one scientific or medical peer-reviewed study to
   52  have some positive effect on traumatic brain injury or
   53  posttraumatic stress disorder. Alternative treatment must be
   54  provided under the direction and supervision of an individual
   55  licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter
   56  464, chapter 490, or chapter 491.
   57         (2)Each contracted individual or entity shall report
   58  annually to the department each type of alternative treatment
   59  provided, the number of veterans served, and the treatment
   60  outcomes.
   61         Section 2. Subsection (4) is added to section 454.021,
   62  Florida Statutes, to read:
   63         454.021 Attorneys; admission to practice law; Supreme Court
   64  to govern and regulate.—
   65         (4)(a)The Supreme Court of Florida may admit on motion an
   66  applicant as an attorney at law authorized to practice law in
   67  this state if the applicant is a spouse of a servicemember, as
   68  that term is defined in s. 250.01, stationed in this state upon
   69  certification by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners that the
   70  applicant meets the following requirements:
   71         1. Is registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility
   72  Reporting System established by the United States Department of
   73  Defense;
   74         2. Holds a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws from a law
   75  school accredited by the American Bar Association;
   76         3. Is licensed to practice law in another state, the
   77  District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States after
   78  having passed a written exam;
   79         4.Can establish that he or she is a member in good
   80  standing in all jurisdictions in which he or she is licensed to
   81  practice law and that he or she is not currently subject to
   82  discipline or a pending disciplinary matter relating to the
   83  practice of law;
   84         5. Can demonstrate his or her presence in this state as a
   85  spouse of a servicemember; and
   86         6. Has otherwise fulfilled all requirements for admission
   87  to practice law in this state.
   88         (b) The Supreme Court of Florida may specify circumstances
   89  under which the license and authorization to practice law in
   90  this state of an attorney admitted in accordance with paragraph
   91  (a) terminates.
   92         (c) In the event of a conflict between this subsection and
   93  any rule regulating The Florida Bar authorizing the spouse of a
   94  servicemember to practice law in this state, the provisions of
   95  the rule shall prevail.
   96         Section 3. Subsections (1) and (7) of section 1012.56,
   97  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   98         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
   99         (1) APPLICATION.—Each person seeking certification pursuant
  100  to this chapter shall submit a completed application containing
  101  the applicant’s social security number to the Department of
  102  Education and remit the fee required pursuant to s. 1012.59 and
  103  rules of the State Board of Education. Pursuant to the federal
  104  Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
  105  of 1996, each party is required to provide his or her social
  106  security number in accordance with this section. Disclosure of
  107  social security numbers obtained through this requirement is
  108  limited to the purpose of administration of the Title IV-D
  109  program of the Social Security Act for child support
  110  enforcement.
  111         (a) Pursuant to s. 120.60, the department shall issue
  112  within 90 calendar days after receipt of the completed
  113  application a professional certificate to a qualifying applicant
  114  covering the classification, level, and area for which the
  115  applicant is deemed qualified and a document explaining the
  116  requirements for renewal of the professional certificate. If the
  117  applicant is the spouse of a servicemember, as that term is
  118  defined in s. 250.01, stationed in this state and if the
  119  applicant holds a current professional standard teaching
  120  certificate issued by another state, the department shall
  121  expedite the processing of the application and issue a
  122  certificate to a qualifying applicant within 60 calendar days
  123  after receipt of the completed application.
  124         (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to a
  125  qualifying applicant within 14 calendar days after receipt of a
  126  request from an employer with a professional education
  127  competence demonstration program pursuant to paragraphs (6)(f)
  128  and (8)(b). The temporary certificate must cover the
  129  classification, level, and area for which the applicant is
  130  deemed qualified. The department shall electronically notify the
  131  applicant’s employer that the temporary certificate has been
  132  issued and provide the applicant an official statement of status
  133  of eligibility at the time the certificate is issued.
  134         (c) Pursuant to s. 120.60, the department shall issue
  135  within 90 calendar days after receipt of the completed
  136  application, if an applicant does not meet the requirements for
  137  either certificate, an official statement of status of
  138  eligibility. If the applicant is the spouse of a servicemember,
  139  as that term is defined in s. 250.01, stationed in this state,
  140  the department shall issue a statement of status of eligibility
  141  within 60 calendar days after receipt of the completed
  142  application if such applicant does not meet the requirements for
  143  either certificate.
  144  
  145  The statement of status of eligibility must be provided
  146  electronically and must advise the applicant of any
  147  qualifications that must be completed to qualify for
  148  certification. Each method by which an applicant can complete
  149  the qualifications for a professional certificate must be
  150  included in the statement of status of eligibility. Each
  151  statement of status of eligibility is valid for 3 years after
  152  its date of issuance, except as provided in paragraph (2)(d).
  153         (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
  154         (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
  155  certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
  156  who fulfills one of the following:
  157         1. Meets all the requirements outlined in subsection (2).
  158         2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
  159  12:
  160         a. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h).
  161         b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
  162  science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
  163         c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
  164  advanced degree.
  165         d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
  166  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
  167  student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
  168  assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
  169  Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
  170  examination.
  171         e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
  172  education competency examination required by state board rule.
  173         3. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h) and
  174  completes a professional preparation and education competence
  175  program approved by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(c).
  176  An applicant who completes the program and is rated highly
  177  effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation
  178  under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing
  179  score on the professional education competency examination in
  180  order to be awarded a professional certificate.
  181         (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
  182  any applicant who completes the requirements outlined in
  183  paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content
  184  requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
  185  mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and
  186  holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the
  187  Department of Education at the level required for the subject
  188  area specialization in state board rule.
  189         (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
  190  temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
  191  certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
  192  degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
  193  completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
  194  impairment.
  195  
  196  Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
  197  and is nonrenewable. However, the requirement in paragraph
  198  (2)(g) must be met within 1 calendar year of the date of
  199  employment under the temporary certificate. Individuals who are
  200  employed under contract at the end of the 1 calendar year time
  201  period may continue to be employed through the end of the school
  202  year in which they have been contracted. A school district shall
  203  not employ, or continue the employment of, an individual in a
  204  position for which a temporary certificate is required beyond
  205  this time period if the individual has not met the requirement
  206  of paragraph (2)(g). At least 1 year before an individual’s
  207  temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
  208  electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
  209  her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
  210  which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
  211  completed. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  212  allow the department to extend the validity period of a
  213  temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
  214  professional certificate, not including the requirement in
  215  paragraph (2)(g), were not completed due to the serious illness
  216  or injury of the applicant; when the applicant is the spouse of
  217  a servicemember stationed in this state; or when there are or
  218  other extraordinary extenuating circumstances; or for 1 year if
  219  the temporary certificateholder is rated effective or highly
  220  effective based solely on a student learning growth formula
  221  approved by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to s.
  222  1012.34(8). The department shall reissue the temporary
  223  certificate for 2 additional years upon approval by the
  224  Commissioner of Education. A written request for reissuance of
  225  the certificate shall be submitted by the district school
  226  superintendent, the governing authority of a university lab
  227  school, the governing authority of a state-supported school, or
  228  the governing authority of a private school.
  229         Section 4. Legislative findings and intent; continuing
  230  education of veterans of the United States Armed Forces.—The
  231  Legislature finds that many veterans of the United States Armed
  232  Forces in this state have completed training and coursework
  233  during their military service, including overseas deployments,
  234  resulting in tangible and quantifiable strides in their pursuit
  235  of a postsecondary degree. The Legislature further finds that
  236  the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the
  237  State University System must work together to ensure that
  238  military training and coursework are granted academic credit in
  239  order to assist veterans in continuing their educations.
  240  Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the State
  241  Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the State
  242  University System work collaboratively to:
  243         (1) Align existing degree programs, including, but not
  244  limited to, vocational and technical degrees, at each state
  245  university and Florida College System institution with
  246  applicable military training and experience to maximize academic
  247  credit awarded for such training and experience.
  248         (2) Appoint and train specific faculty members within each
  249  degree program at each state university and Florida College
  250  System institution as liaisons and contacts for veterans.
  251         (3) Incorporate outreach services tailored to disabled
  252  veterans into existing disability services on the campus of each
  253  state university and Florida College System institution to make
  254  available to such veterans information on disability services
  255  provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
  256  other federal and state agencies, and private entities.
  257         (4) Facilitate statewide meetings for personnel at state
  258  universities and Florida College System institutions who provide
  259  student services to veterans to discuss and develop best
  260  practices, exchange ideas and experiences, and attend
  261  presentations by individuals with expertise in the unique needs
  262  of veterans.
  263         (5) Make every effort to provide veterans with sufficient
  264  courses required for graduation, including, but not limited to,
  265  giving priority registration to veterans.
  266         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.

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