Bill Text: FL S1396 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Educational Dollars for Duty Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development [S1396 Detail]

Download: Florida-2022-S1396-Introduced.html

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       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.