Senate Bill 858 (2023) — Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida Program
SB 858
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 By Senator Torres 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 1 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Military Corpsmen and Medics of 2 Florida Program; creating s. 295.126, F.S.; providing 3 legislative intent; defining terms; establishing the 4 Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF) 5 Program; providing the purposes of the program; 6 providing the components of the program; creating the 7 MCMF Program Office of Veterans Advocacy within the 8 Department of Health; providing that the MCMF Program 9 Veterans’ Advocate is the head of the office; 10 providing qualifications of the advocate; prescribing 11 duties of the advocate; requiring the MCMF Program, 12 through the Department of Economic Opportunity, to 13 assist certain veterans and their spouses with 14 specified tasks; requiring Florida Is For Veterans, 15 Inc., to coordinate with specified entities to fulfill 16 the program’s purposes and recruit, establish, and 17 maintain a statewide list of participating health care 18 providers; requiring the department to waive certain 19 fees for specified veterans and their spouses; 20 authorizing the department to adopt rules; amending s. 21 295.22, F.S.; requiring Florida Is for Veterans, Inc., 22 to collaborate with specified entities to implement 23 the MCMF Program; specifying duties of Florida Is For 24 Veterans, Inc., related to the program; creating s. 25 1004.0963, F.S.; defining the term “department 26 boards”; requiring the Board of Governors and the 27 State Board Of Education, in consultation with 28 specified entities, to adopt specified regulations and 29
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 2 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. rules, respectively; requiring the Articulation 30 Coordinating Committee to convene a workgroup by a 31 specified date; providing responsibilities of the 32 workgroup; providing the membership of the workgroup; 33 requiring the Office of K-20 Articulation to provide 34 administrative support to the workgroup; requiring the 35 workgroup to establish a specified process for 36 prioritizing and determining certain course 37 equivalencies and minimum credit or clock hours 38 awarded to certain individuals; requiring the 39 workgroup to provide certain recommendations to the 40 Board of Governors and the State Board of Education by 41 a specified date; requiring the Articulation 42 Coordinating Committee to approve a specified list of 43 certain course equivalencies and credits and clock 44 hours for certain veterans; requiring the committee to 45 annually update the list; requiring specified entities 46 to annually adopt the updated list; providing 47 applicability; requiring specified entities to award 48 credit and clock hours for courses taken and training 49 received by certain veterans under specified 50 conditions; authorizing postsecondary institutions to 51 award additional credit or clock hours, if 52 appropriate; providing that certain credit or clock 53 hours earned by veterans under certain conditions are 54 guaranteed to transfer to specified entities; 55 authorizing the Articulation Coordinating Committee to 56 form a certain subcommittee; providing an effective 57 date. 58
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 3 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 59 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 60 61
Section
Section 295.126, Florida Statutes, is created to 62 read: 63 295.126 Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF) 64 Program.— 65
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature 66 to assist military-trained health care veterans and their 67 spouses in finding employment in this state’s health care and 68 health care-related industries, occupations, and professions as 69 they transition to civilian life and to offer educational credit 70 to military-trained health care veterans for their service in 71 the United States military, to be applied toward the education 72 and training required in this state to attain a health care or 73 health care-related license to enter a health care or health 74 care-related industry, occupation, or profession. 75
(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 76 (a) “Department” means the Department of Health. 77 (b) “License” has the same meaning as in s. 456.001. 78 (c) “Military-trained health care veteran” means a person 79 who: 80 1. Has served within the preceding consecutive 12 months as 81 an Army Combat Medic Specialist, a Navy or Fleet Marine Force 82 Hospital Corpsman, an Air Force or Space Force Aerospace Medical 83 Service Technician, or a Coast Guard Health Services Technician, 84 or in other military positions similar to civilian X-ray 85 technicians, dental assistants, medical assistants, or 86 phlebotomists; and 87
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 4 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 2. Was discharged or separated from military service under 88 conditions other than dishonorable or whose discharge was 89 upgraded to an honorable discharge. 90 (d) “Participating health care provider” means: 91 1. A physician licensed under
chapter 458 or an osteopathic 92 physician licensed under
chapter 459; 93 2. A professional corporation or partnership of physicians 94 licensed under
chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed 95 under
chapter 459; 96 3. A hospital or ambulatory surgical center licensed under 97
chapter 395; 98 4. An office registered under s. 458.328 or s. 459.0138; 99 5. A commercial enterprise having medical facilities for 100 its employees which are supervised by one or more physicians 101 licensed under
chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians licensed 102 under
chapter 459; or 103 6. A facility licensed under
chapter 395 which offers 104 medical services to the public and is supervised by one or more 105 physicians licensed under
chapter 458 or osteopathic physicians 106 licensed under
chapter 459. 107 (e) “Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14) and 108 includes a former member of the Florida National Guard who was 109 discharged or separated from service under conditions other than 110 dishonorable or was upgraded to an honorable discharge. 111
(3) ESTABLISHMENT.—The department, in collaboration with 112 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Florida Is For Veterans, 113 Inc., and the Department of Economic Opportunity, shall 114 establish and administer the Military Corpsmen and Medics of 115 Florida (MCMF) Program. 116
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(4) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the MCMF Program include, but 117 are not limited to, the following: 118 (
a) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and 119 their spouses to identify and apply for health care-related 120 employment and health care licensure and certification and to 121 connect veterans who have military health care training and are 122 seeking employment in health care fields with health care 123 organizations seeking to hire dedicated, well-trained workers. 124 (
b) Meeting the health care workforce demands of this state 125 by facilitating access to training and education in health care 126 and health care-related fields for veterans and their spouses 127 and by promoting the health care licensing and certification 128 programs provided by the state. 129 (
c) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and 130 their spouses to identify health care and health care-related 131 industries, occupations, and professions within this state for 132 which they may be immediately qualified to apply or to apply for 133 licensure or certification based on previous civilian or 134 military health care training. 135 (
d) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and 136 their spouses to identify health care and health care-related 137 education and training programs within this state which will 138 recognize veterans’ and their spouses’ medical skills and which 139 will allow such veterans and spouses to build on those skills in 140 order to gain employment and work toward obtaining appropriate 141 health care licensure or certification. 142 (
e) Assisting military-trained health care veterans and 143 their spouses with licensure under ss. 456.024 and 456.0241, if 144 applicable. 145
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(5) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The MCMF Program consists of the 146 following components: 147 (
a) Office of Veterans Advocacy.— 148 1. There is created within the department the MCMF Program 149 Office of Veterans Advocacy. 150 2. The department shall designate an MCMF Program Veterans’ 151 Advocate, who shall serve on a full-time basis as the head of 152 the program and carry out the purposes and functions of the 153 office in accordance with state and federal law. 154 3.
The MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate shall manage the 155 implementation and administration of the program through ongoing 156 collaboration with the United States Department of Defense, the 157 Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Economic 158 Opportunity, Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., the Department of 159 Education, and any other identified stakeholders to further the 160 mission of the program. 161 4. The MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate must possess 162 significant advocacy skills and an understanding of the 163 following: 164 a. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery; 165 b.
The Armed Forces Qualification Test; 166 c. United States military occupation specialty code (MOS) 167 categories; 168 d. The training received by veterans in various MOS 169 categories; and 170 e. The practice requirements of the various comparable 171 department-recognized, licensed occupations and professions. 172 5. The duties of the MCMF Program Veterans’ Advocate 173 include, but are not limited to, the following: 174
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 7 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. a. Providing information, guidance, direction, and 175 assistance, as needed, with the licensure or certification 176 application process or with expedited licensing or 177 certification, as appropriate, to military-trained health care 178 veterans and their spouses transitioning into civilian health 179 care and health care-related industries, occupations, and 180 professions; 181 b.
Providing on the department’s website and in pamphlet 182 format specific information, including available statewide 183 educational and training opportunities and resources for which 184 military-trained health care veterans and their spouses may 185 immediately qualify; 186 c.
Providing guidance, direction, and assistance, as 187 needed, including specific information on the department’s 188 website and in pamphlet format, for military-trained health care 189 veterans and their spouses on additional education and training 190 required to obtain licensure or certification for health care 191 and health care-related occupations and professions and whether 192 such veterans and spouses may qualify for expedited state 193 licensure or certification in the following health care and 194 health care-related occupations: 195 (
I) Licensed registered or practical nurse under ss. 196 464.008, 464.009, 464.0095, and 456.024; 197 (II) Optician under s. 484.007; 198 (III) Certain radiological personnel under
part IV of 199
chapter 468; 200 (IV) Emergency medical technician under
chapter 401; 201 (
V) Paramedic under
chapter 401; and 202 (VI) Any other health care license type for which the 203
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 8 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. department finds a military-trained health care veteran or his 204 or her spouse needs guidance, direction, and assistance; and 205 d. Referring any requests to the Department of Economic 206 Opportunity to assist military-trained health care veterans and 207 their spouses in resume writing and proofreading, job 208 application completion, and interviewing skills and techniques. 209 (
b) No veteran left behind.—Veterans who do not meet the 210 definition of the term “military-trained health care veteran” 211 but who have served in health care-related fields must receive 212 assistance from the MCMF Program through the Department of 213 Economic Opportunity in resume writing and proofreading, 214 mentorship, and obtaining employment with participating health 215 care providers. 216 (
c) Health care leadership.—The MCMF Program, through the 217 Department of Economic Opportunity, shall assist veterans and 218 their spouses who have gained management experience or have 219 completed an advanced degree in finding civilian health care 220 leadership and management employment opportunities in a variety 221 of health care and health care-related disciplines. 222 (
d) Promote participating health care providers.—Florida Is 223 For Veterans, Inc., in coordination with the Department of 224 Economic Opportunity, the Department of Health, and the MCMF 225 Program Office of Veterans Advocacy, shall work to fulfill the 226 purposes of the program and to recruit, establish, and maintain 227 a statewide list of the MCMF Program participating health care 228 providers which it shall make available to the department, the 229 MCMF Program, and veterans and their spouses upon request. 230
(6) FEES.—The department shall waive all application fees, 231 certificate fees, and unlicensed activity fees for military-232
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 9 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. trained health care veterans and their spouses. 233
(7) RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The department may adopt rules 234 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section. 235
Section 2. Paragraph (
g) is added to subsection (3) of 236
section 295.22, Florida Statutes, to read: 237 295.22 Veterans Employment and Training Services Program.— 238
(3) ADMINISTRATION.—Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., shall 239 administer the Veterans Employment and Training Services Program 240 and perform all of the following functions: 241 (
g) Assist the Department of Health in fulfilling the 242 purposes of the Military Corpsmen and Medics of Florida (MCMF) 243 Program as set forth in s. 295.126(4). The corporation shall: 244 1.
Recruit health care providers to participate in the MCMF 245 Program and establish and maintain a statewide list, by 246 geographical area, of such participating health care providers 247 as defined in s. 295.126(2) in furtherance of the Legislature’s 248 intent to provide preference, priority, and available waivers to 249 military-trained health care veterans as defined in s. 250 295.126(2) and their spouses for certain educational 251 requirements in the hiring practices set forth in ss. 295.065, 252 295.07, 295.08, and 295.085.
The corporation shall make the list 253 available to military-trained health care veterans and their 254 spouses upon request. 255 2. Assist participating health care providers in recruiting 256 and hiring military-trained health care veterans and their 257 spouses by connecting such health care providers with suitable 258 applicants for employment. 259 3. Assist a military-trained health care veteran 260 participating in the program, or the veteran’s spouse, in 261
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 10 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. identifying participating health care providers for potential 262 employment, including providing assistance with resume writing 263 and proofreading, application completion, and interviewing 264 skills. The corporation may consult and coordinate with the 265 Department of Economic Opportunity to make referrals for such 266 assistance. 267 4.
Assist MCMF Program military-trained health care 268 veterans and their spouses who have gained management experience 269 or have completed an advanced degree in finding civilian health 270 care leadership and management employment in a variety of health 271 care and health care-related disciplines. The corporation may 272 consult and coordinate with the Department of Economic 273 Opportunity to make referrals for such assistance. 274
Section
Section 1004.0963, Florida Statutes, is created 275 to read: 276 1004.0963 Postsecondary credit for health care and health 277 care-related military training and education courses.— 278
(1) As used in this section, the term “department boards” 279 means any Department of Health board or the department if there 280 is no board. 281
(2) In consultation with the Department of Veterans’ 282 Affairs and the Department of Health, the Board of Governors 283 shall adopt regulations, and the State Board of Education shall 284 adopt rules, to create a process that enables eligible military-285 trained health care veterans as defined in s. 295.126(2) to earn 286 uniform postsecondary educational credit across all public 287 postsecondary educational institutions in this state for 288 college-level education and training acquired while serving in 289 the military. The regulations and rules must include procedures 290
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 11 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. for credential evaluation and the uniform award of postsecondary 291 educational credit and career education academic and clinical 292 clock hours, including, but not limited to, equivalency and 293 alignment of military coursework with appropriate postsecondary 294 educational courses and course descriptions.
The regulations and 295 rules must provide for procedures to develop systematically 296 coordinated educational course equivalencies to be included in 297 the statewide articulation agreement required by s. 1007.23(1) 298 which enable eligible military-trained health care veterans to 299 earn uniform educational course credit and uniform academic and 300 clinical clock hours across all public colleges, universities, 301 training schools, and training programs in this state for 302 education and training acquired in the military. 303
(3) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall convene a 304 workgroup by July 15, 2024, which is responsible for developing 305 a process for determining postsecondary educational course 306 equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational credit 307 for career education and academic and clinical clock hours which 308 must be awarded for courses taken and occupations performed by 309 individuals during their service in the military. 310 (
a) The workgroup shall be composed of the following 311 members: 312 1. The chair of the Articulation Coordinating Committee or 313 his or her designee, who shall serve as chair. 314 2. One member representing academic affairs administrators 315 and faculty from state universities with expertise in health 316 care and health care-related industries, occupations, and 317 professions, appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors. 318 3. One member representing academic affairs administrators 319
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 12 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. and faculty from Florida College System institutions with 320 expertise in health care and health care-related industries, 321 occupations, and professions, appointed by the chair of the 322 State Board of Education. 323 4. One member representing faculty from career centers with 324 expertise in health care and health care-related industries, 325 occupations, and professions, appointed by the State Board of 326 Education. 327 5.
Two members representing veterans familiar with the 328 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery; the Armed Forces 329 Qualification Test; the military occupation specialty code (MOS) 330 categories; and the training received by veterans in various MOS 331 categories, appointed by the executive director of the 332 Department of Veterans’ Affairs. 333 6.
Four faculty members, appointed by the appropriate 334 department boards, who represent, respectively, state 335 universities, Florida College System institutions, career 336 centers, training schools, and training programs in this state 337 which train emergency medical technicians, opticians, 338 paramedics, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and 339 radiologic technologists, or other health care or health care-340 related industries, occupations, or professions as deemed 341 appropriate by the Department of Health. 342 (
b) The Office of K-20 Articulation shall provide 343 administrative support to the workgroup. 344 (
c) The workgroup shall establish a process for 345 prioritizing and determining postsecondary educational course 346 equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational credit 347 or career education and academic and clinical clock hours that 348
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 13 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. must be awarded for courses taken and training received for 349 occupations performed by individuals during their service in the 350 military. The workgroup shall provide recommendations to the 351 Board of Governors and the State Board of Education by December 352 1, 2025, for approval at the next meeting of each applicable 353 department board to allow for adequate public notice. 354 (
d) Upon approval of the workgroup’s recommendations, the 355 Articulation Coordinating Committee shall facilitate the review 356 of courses taken and occupations performed by individuals during 357 their service in the military for postsecondary educational 358 course equivalencies and the minimum postsecondary educational 359 credit or career education and academic and clinical clock hours 360 that must be awarded in accordance with the approved process. 361 (
e) Within 1 year after approval of the workgroup’s 362 recommendations, the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall 363 approve a prioritized list of systematically coordinated 364 postsecondary educational course equivalencies and the minimum 365 postsecondary educational credit for military career education 366 and training and academic and clinical clock hours that must be 367 awarded for courses taken and occupations performed by 368 individuals during their service in the military. The list must 369 be updated annually.
The Board of Governors, the applicable 370 department boards, and the State Board of Education must timely 371 adopt the list approved by the Articulation Coordinating 372 Committee at the next meeting of each applicable board to allow 373 for adequate public notice. For the purpose of statewide 374 application, postsecondary educational course equivalencies and 375 the minimum postsecondary educational credit, career education, 376 and academic and clinical clock hours that must be awarded for 377
Florida Senate - 2023 SB 858 25-01713-23 2023858__ Page 14 of 14 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. courses taken and the training received for occupations 378 performed by individuals during service in the military must be 379 delineated by the State Board of Education and the Board of 380 Governors in the statewide articulation agreement required by s. 381 1007.23(1). 382 (
f) State universities, Florida College System 383 institutions, career centers, training schools, and training 384 programs must award postsecondary educational credit and 385 academic and clinical clock hours for courses taken and training 386 received for occupations performed by individuals during service 387 in the military based on the list adopted by the Board of 388 Governors, the State Board of Education, and the applicable 389 department boards pursuant to paragraph (
e) if the educational 390 credit or career education and academic and clinical clock hours 391 can be applied toward the student’s degree or certificate. 392 (
g) Postsecondary educational institutions may award 393 additional educational credit and academic and clinical clock 394 hours, if appropriate. Educational credit or academic and 395 clinical clock hours awarded in accordance with minimum 396 postsecondary educational credit and academic and clinical clock 397 hour requirements, respectively, are guaranteed to transfer to 398 other state universities, Florida College System institutions, 399 career centers, training schools, and training programs. 400 (
h) The Articulation Coordinating Committee may form a 401 subcommittee to carry out the committee’s duties under this 402 subsection. 403