AL
Alabama House Bill HB213

Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB213 Compare Versions

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44 By Representative Lovvorn
55 RFD: Ways and Means Education
66 First Read: 23-Mar-23
7-2023 Regular Session
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14-Enrolled, An Act,
15-Relating to the Volunteer Rescue Squad Tuition
16-Reimbursement Act of 2018; to amend Sections 22-18-60,
17-22-18-61, 22-18-63, and 22-18-64, Code of Alabama 1975, to
18-decrease the required contracted for service time after
19-graduation and licensing from three years to two years; to
20-expand the program to include students who contract and
21-provide service to ambulance services; to provide exclusions
22-from reimbursement; and to increase the amount of operational
23-expenses reimbursed to the Alabama Community College System;
24-and to add Section 22-18-61.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to
25-provide for the retroactive reimbursement of certain fees and
26-expenses.
27-BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
28-Section 1. Sections 22-18-60, 22-18-61, 22-18-63, and
29-22-18-64 of the Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as
30-follows:
31-"§22-18-60
32-For the purposes of this article, the following terms
33-shall have the following meanings:
34-(1) ACCS. The Alabama Community College System.
35-(2) AMBULANCE SERVICE. An ambulance service located in
36-this state which is a member of the Alabama Association of
37-Ambulance Services.
38-(2)(3) ASSOCIATIONS. The Alabama Association of Rescue
39-Squads or, the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire
13+SYNOPSIS:
14+Under existing law, the Volunteer Rescue Squad
15+Tuition Reimbursement Act of 2018, provides tuition
16+reimbursement for students who successfully complete an
17+Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic certification
18+program offered by a member institution of the Alabama
19+Community College System or the Alabama Fire College
20+and contract to provide three years of service to a
21+volunteer rescue squad or fire department.
22+This bill would decrease the required contracted
23+for service time after graduation and licensing from
24+three years to two years.
25+This bill would expand the program to include
26+students who contract and provide service to an
27+ambulance service.
28+This bill would provide for exclusions from
29+reimbursement.
30+This bill would increase the maximum amount of
31+operational expenses reimbursed by the program to the
32+Alabama Community College System for administering the
33+program from two percent to 10 percent of the funding
34+for the program per fiscal year.
35+This bill would also provide for the retroactive
36+reimbursement of certain related necessary fees and
37+required expenses.
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69-Departments, or the Alabama Association of Ambulance Services .
70-(3)(4) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL (EMSP). All
71-recognized levels of personnel licensed by the Alabama
72-Department of Public Health, who have met all primary and/or
73-or renewal educational requirements , or both, set by the
74-Alabama Department of Public Health, and who are allowed to
75-provide medical care within the level of their scope of
76-practice granted by the Office of Emergency Medical Services
77-(OEMS) within the Alabama Department of Public Health.
78-(4)(5) FIRE COLLEGE. The Alabama Fire College.
79-(5)(6) STUDENT. A student enrolled in an emergency
80-medical services certification program at a member institution
81-of the Alabama Community College System ACCS, the Alabama Fire
82-College fire college, or the University of South Alabama.
83-(7) TUITION COSTS. Includes the actual cost of tuition
84-and fees required to complete an approved course of
85-instruction for EMSP certification, as determined by each
86-eligible educational institution.
87-(6)(8) VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUAD. A volunteer rescue squad
88-located in the State of Alabama and is a member of the Alabama
89-Association of Rescue Squads.
90-(7)(9) VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. A volunteer fire
91-department located in the State of Alabama and is a member of
92-the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Departments this
93-state."
94-"§22-18-61
95-(a) The Alabama Community College System ACCS, the
96-Alabama Fire College fire college, and the University of South
67+A BILL
68+TO BE ENTITLED
69+AN ACT
70+Relating to the Volunteer Rescue Squad Tuition
71+Reimbursement Act of 2018; to amend Sections 22-18-60,
72+22-18-61, and 22-18-64, Code of Alabama 1975, to decrease the
73+required contracted for service time after graduation and
74+licensing from three years to two years; to expand the program
75+to include students who contract and provide service to
76+ambulance services; to provide exclusions from reimbursement;
77+and to increase the amount of operational expenses reimbursed
78+to the Alabama Community College System; and to add Section
79+22-18-61.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to provide for the
80+retroactive reimbursement of certain fees and expenses.
81+BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
82+Section 1. Sections 22-18-60, 22-18-61, and 22-18-64 of
83+the Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
84+"§22-18-60
85+For the purposes of this article, the following terms
86+shall have the following meanings:
87+(1) ACCS. The Alabama Community College System.
88+(2) AMBULANCE SERVICE. An ambulance service located in
89+this state which is a member of the Alabama Association of
90+Ambulance Services.
91+(2)(3) ASSOCIATIONS. The Alabama Association of Rescue
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126-Alabama, in consultation with the associations, shall jointly
127-develop and administer a student tuition reimbursement program
128-for students that agree in the form of an enforceable who
129-contract agreement, to provide two years of emergency medical
130-services for volunteer rescue squads or, volunteer fire
131-departments in Alabama, or ambulance services after becoming a
132-licensed EMSP subject to the student agreeing to provide three
133-years of service to a volunteer rescue squad or volunteer fire
134-department.
135-(b)(1) Tuition reimbursement under this article shall
136-be the actual cover tuition costs paid by the student
137-associated with obtaining certification or the volunteer
138-rescue squad, volunteer fire department, ambulance service, or
139-an association on behalf of the student of which the student
140-is a member. Tuition paid by the volunteer rescue squad,
141-volunteer fire department, ambulance service, or association
142-shall be reimbursed directly to the volunteer rescue squad,
143-volunteer fire department, ambulance service, or association .
144-(2) Tuition reimbursement under this article shall not
145-include any tuition costs covered by grants or other monetary
146-awards provided to a student including, but not limited to,
147-federal education grants and scholarships, as determined by
148-the ACCS.
149-(3) Tuition costs shall not be reimbursed until the
150-student provides ACCS and the associations with documentation
151-that he or she has successfully completed the approved course
152-of instruction, proof of passing the certification exam,
153-production of a valid EMSP license from the Alabama Department
121+Squads or, the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire
122+Departments, or the Alabama Association of Ambulance Services .
123+(3)(4) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL (EMSP). All
124+recognized levels of personnel licensed by the Alabama
125+Department of Public Health, who have met all primary and/or
126+or renewal educational requirements , or both, set by the
127+Alabama Department of Public Health, and who are allowed to
128+provide medical care within the level of their scope of
129+practice granted by the Office of Emergency Medical Services
130+(OEMS) within the Alabama Department of Public Health.
131+(4)(5) FIRE COLLEGE. The Alabama Fire College.
132+(5)(6) STUDENT. A student enrolled in an emergency
133+medical services certification program at a member institution
134+of the Alabama Community College System ACCS, the Alabama Fire
135+College fire college, or the University of South Alabama.
136+(7) TUITION COSTS. Includes the actual cost of tuition
137+and fees required to complete an approved course of
138+instruction for EMSP certification, as determined by each
139+eligible educational institution.
140+(6)(8) VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUAD. A volunteer rescue squad
141+located in the State of Alabama and this state which is a
142+member of the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads.
143+(7)(9) VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. A volunteer fire
144+department located in the State of Alabama and this state
145+which is a member of the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire
146+Departments."
147+"§22-18-61
148+(a) The Alabama Community College System ACCS, the
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178+Alabama Fire College fire college, and the University of South
179+Alabama, in consultation with the associations, shall jointly
180+develop and administer a student tuition reimbursement program
181+for students that agree in the form of an enforceable who
182+contract agreement, to provide two years of emergency medical
183+services for volunteer rescue squads or, volunteer fire
184+departments in Alabama, or ambulance services after becoming a
185+licensed EMSP subject to the student agreeing to provide three
186+years of service to a volunteer rescue squad or volunteer fire
187+department.
188+(b)(1) Tuition reimbursement under this article shall
189+be the actual cover tuition costs paid by the student
190+associated with obtaining to complete an approved course of
191+instruction for certification. Tuition reimbursement may also
192+cover the repayment of tuition costs provided to a student by
193+an association or members of an association to pay any of his
194+or her eligible tuition costs.
195+(2) Tuition reimbursement under this article shall not
196+reimburse a student for any tuition costs covered by grants or
197+other monetary awards provided to a student including, but not
198+limited to, federal education grants and scholarships, as
199+determined by the ACCS.
200+(3) Tuition costs shall not be reimbursed until the
201+student provides ACCS and the associations with documentation
202+that he or she has successfully completed the approved course
203+of instruction, proof of passing the certification exam,
204+production of a valid EMSP license from the Alabama Department
183205 of Public Health and a contractual agreement to comply with
184-the service requirements.
185-(c) In the event that a tuition reimbursement recipient
186-fails to meet the service requirements for any reason other
187-than extreme hardship as defined within the joint agreement
188-required in Section 22-18-64(b), the individual shall be
189-deemed to have breached the underlying contract and shall be
190-liable in the form of monetary damages to the state for the
191-immediate repayment of the total tuition amount costs
192-reimbursed, plus interest at the rate of eight percent. The
193-associations shall notify ACCS of recipients who fail to meet
194-the service requirements.
195-(d) Beginning with the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the
196-amount of tuition reimbursement available to students shall be
197-divided among volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, and
198-ambulance services based on available appropriations. The ACCS
199-shall create operational procedures to ensure that funds and
200-volunteer service commitments are split equitably among
201-volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, and ambulance
202-services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, priority shall be
203-given to volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, and
204-nonprofit ambulance services. "
205-"§22-18-63
206-(a) The tuition reimbursement program is subject to
207-direct appropriations from the Education Trust Fund.
208-(b) Any monies appropriated for the program that are
209-unexpended at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert, but
210-shall be carried forward for use of the program in the next
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240-fiscal year.
241-(c) Beginning in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, any
242-unexpended funds in excess of five hundred thousand dollars
243-($500,000) shall be transferred to the fire college to provide
244-emergency medical services equipment and operations grants to
245-volunteer fire departments and rescue squads. Grants shall be
246-approved by the Alabama Joint Fire Council. "
235+the service requirements.
236+(c) In the event that a tuition reimbursement recipient
237+fails to meet the service requirements for any reason other
238+than extreme hardship as defined within the joint agreement
239+required in Section 22-18-64(b), the individual shall be
240+deemed to have breached the underlying contract and shall be
241+liable in the form of monetary damages to the state for the
242+immediate repayment of the total tuition amount costs
243+reimbursed, plus interest at the rate of eight percent. The
244+associations shall notify ACCS of recipients who fail to meet
245+the service requirements."
247246 "§22-18-64
248247 (a) The ACCS shall annually report on the condition and
249248 accomplishments of the tuition reimbursement program to the
250249 Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President
251250 Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chair of the House Ways and
252251 Means Education Committee, the Chair of the Senate Finance and
253252 Taxation Education Committee, and the Deputy Director of the
254253 Legislative Services Agency, Fiscal Division. The report shall
255254 include the number of students participating in the program
256255 and the amount of tuition reimbursed for the reporting year.
257256 The member institutions of the ACCS, the Fire College fire
258257 college, and the University of South Alabama shall provide
259258 this information to ACCS for inclusion in the annual report.
260259 The report shall be submitted by the fifth legislative day of
261260 each regular session of the Legislature.
262261 (b) The ACCS, the Fire College fire college, and the
263262 University of South Alabama shall enter into a joint agreement
264-to implement and administer the tuition reimbursement program,
265-which shall include provisions for ensuring that operational
266-expenses for the program in a fiscal year do not exceed two 10
267-percent of the funding for the program in that fiscal year.
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292+to implement and administer the tuition reimbursement program,
293+which shall include provisions for ensuring that operational
294+expenses for the program in a fiscal year do not exceed two 10
295+percent of the funding for the program in that fiscal year.
297296 The joint agreement shall provide for limiting the acceptance
298297 of applications for the program or limiting tuition
299298 reimbursements when necessary, or both.
300299 (c) Any monies received for the operations of the
301300 tuition reimbursement program, including repayments, interest,
302301 and penalties paid because of failure to honor service
303302 requirements, shall be used to fund tuition reimbursements."
304303 Section 2. Section 22-18-61.1 is added to the Code of
305304 Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
306305 §22-18-61.1
307306 Upon written request by an association or a member of
308307 an association, the ACCS may retroactively consider
309308 reimbursement of actual tuition costs, excluding required
310309 fees, provided by the association or its members to a student
311310 to pay his or her eligible tuition costs.
312311 Section 3. Section 1 of this act shall become effective
313312 on the first day of the third month following its passage and
314313 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
315314 Section 2 of this act shall become effective immediately
316315 following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its
317316 otherwise becoming law.
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340-________________________________________________
341-Speaker of the House of Representatives
342-________________________________________________
343-President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
344-House of Representatives
345-I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
346-was passed by the House 02-May-23, as amended.
347-John Treadwell
348-Clerk
349-Senate 24-May-23 Passed
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