The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education Postsecondary
BILL: SB 274
INTRODUCER: Senator Avila
SUBJECT: Nursing Education Pathway for Military Combat Medics
DATE: February 7, 2023
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck HE Favorable
2. HP
3. RC
I. Summary:
SB 274 creates the “Pathway for Military Combat Medics Act.” The bill expands the award of
postsecondary credit for military training and education courses to promote uniformity in the
application of military combat medic training and education toward postsecondary credit (credit)
or career education clock hours (clock hours) by public postsecondary educational institutions.
Specifically, the bill requires:
The Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC) to convene a workgroup to establish a
process for prioritizing and determining postsecondary course equivalencies and the
minimum credit or clock hours that must be awarded in an accredited nursing education
program for military training and education required for service in specified positions. The
process must be approved by the Board of Governors of the State University System (BOG)
and the State Board of Education (SBE).
The ACC to approve a list of postsecondary course equivalencies and credit and clock hours
awarded for such courses and training, which must be approved by the BOG and SBE in the
statewide articulation agreement.
State universities, Florida College System (FCS) institutions, and career centers to award
credit or clock hours based on the approved list.
Additionally, the bill revises a primary goal of the Florida Center for Nursing to provide that,
under its strategic statewide plan for nursing manpower, the encouragement and coordination of
the development of partnerships must include partnerships with hospitals that provide
opportunities for nursing students to obtain clinical experience.
The bill has no state fiscal impact.
This bill takes effect upon becoming law.
REVISED: BILL: SB 274 Page 2
II. Present Situation:
Postsecondary Credit for Military Training and Education Courses
The Board of Governors of the State University System (BOG) and the State Board of Education
(SBE), in consultation with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, are required to adopt
regulations and rules, respectively, to create a system for the uniform award of credit or clock
hours based on military training and education.
1
The Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC) must approve a prioritized list of
postsecondary course equivalencies and the minimum credit or clock hours that must be awarded
for courses taken or occupations held by individuals during their service in the military. The list
must then be adopted in the statewide articulation agreement by the BOG and SBE. The list must
be updated annually.
2
The current list includes credit or clock hour equivalencies for 46 military occupations, which
include Practical Nurse, Combat Medic Specialist, and Special Operations Combat Medic.
3
The
American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide
4
was used as a foundation to determine
equivalences, including courses for military occupations. For example, military veterans that
served as a Combat Medic Specialist can currently receive a minimum of 29 credit hours for
courses in the system such as Medical Emergencies (3 credit hours), Advanced Pre-Hospital
Trauma (4 credit hours), and Fundamentals of Nursing (7 credit hours).
5
State universities, Florida College System (FCS) institutions, and career centers operated by
school districts must award credit or clock hours, as applicable, for approved courses and
occupations included in the list, if the credit or clock hours are applicable to the student’s degree
or certificate. Institutions may also grant additional credit or clock hours, if appropriate. Credit
awarded on these bases is guaranteed to transfer to other public postsecondary institutions as if
the credit was earned at the receiving institution.
6
Articulation Coordinating Committee
The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Chancellor of the State University
System, establishes the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC), whose primary role is to
recommend statewide articulation policies.
7
Specifically, the ACC must monitor articulation
between education systems, propose guidelines for articulation agreements, publish lists of
1
Section 1004.096, F.S.; see also Board of Governors Regulation 6.013 and Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C.
2
Id.
3
Articulation Coordinating Committee, Credit or Clock Hour for Military Experience Equivalency List (Sept. 2022),
available at https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/MilExpEquiv.pdf.
4
American Council on Education, The ACE Military Guide, https://www.acenet.edu/Programs-Services/Pages/Credit-
Transcripts/Military-Guide-
Online.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAiA_vKeBhAdEiwAFb_nrZ8jsFyi7IgkhcHOCpUFzOhUZb8bDy0M_FWMQDEOU_YpBGwrp
EPdwhoC5MUQAvD_BwE (last visited Feb. 3, 2023).
5
Board of Governors, 2023 Legislative Bill Analysis for SB 274 (Feb. 1, 2023).
6
Articulation Coordinating Committee, Credit or Clock Hour for Military Experience Equivalency List (Sept. 2022),
available at https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/MilExpEquiv.pdf.
7
Section 1007.01(3), F.S. BILL: SB 274 Page 3
general education and common prerequisite courses, establish dual enrollment course
equivalencies to high school credit, and annually review the Statewide Articulation Agreement.
8
The Office of K-20 Articulation within the Florida Department of Education provides
administrative support to the ACC.
9
Statewide Articulation Agreement
The SBE and the BOG are required to enter into a statewide articulation agreement, which the
SBE must adopt by rule.
10
The agreement must preserve Florida’s “2+2” system of articulation
and facilitate the seamless articulation of student credit across and among Florida’s educational
entities. Specifically, the statewide articulation agreement includes provisions that govern:
Articulation between secondary and postsecondary education;
The admission of associate in arts degree graduates to the upper division of a state university;
Articulation of career credit to academic credit programs;
The application of acceleration mechanisms to postsecondary credit; and
General education requirements.
Florida Postsecondary Nursing Education Programs
Florida’s postsecondary education institutions offer a variety of nursing education programs that
prepare students for varying levels of licensure. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) clock-hour
programs are offered at 28 career centers and 13 FCS institutions, while all 28 FCS institutions
offer associate of science in nursing (ASN) and bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs.
Ten state universities offer 20 pre-licensure nursing education programs. Seventeen of the 30
Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) member institutions offer nursing
education programs.
11
Approved versus Accredited Nursing Education Programs
Educational institutions that wish to conduct a program in the state of Florida for the prelicensure
education of professional or practical nurses must meet specified requirements to be approved by
the Florida Board of Nursing (BON).
12
An “approved” nursing education program is a program for the prelicensure education of
professional or practical nurses that is conducted in the state of Florida at an educational
institution and that is approved and regulated by the state of Florida.
13
An “accredited” nursing education program is a program for the prelicensure education of
professional or practical nurses that is conducted in the United States at an educational
institution, whether in Florida, another state, or the District of Columbia, and that is accredited
8
Section 1007.01(3)(a) and (b), F.S.
9
Section 1007.01(3), F.S.; s. 20.15(3)(h), F.S.
10
Section 1007.23(1), F.S. See also Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C.
11
Staff of the Florida House of Representatives, Legislative Bill Analysis for CS/HB 5201 (2022).
12
Section. 464.019, F.S. and Florida Board of Nursing, Education and Training Programs,
https://floridasnursing.gov/education-and-training-programs/ (last visited Feb. 2, 2023).
13
Section 464.019, F.S. and s. 464.003(4), F.S. BILL: SB 274 Page 4
by a specialized nursing accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the United States
Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs.
14
Accredited programs do not
have to meet requirements related to program application, approval, or submission of annual
reports to the BON.
15
All approved and accredited programs must meet accountability requirements related to graduate
passage rate on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination.
All approved nursing programs, except those specifically excluded,
16
must seek accreditation
within five years of enrolling the program’s first students.
17
Florida Center for Nursing
The Florida Center for Nursing (center) was established by the Legislature in 2001, to address
the issues of supply and demand for nursing, including the recruitment, retention, and utilization
of nurse workforce resources.
18
The center’s primary goals are to:
19
Develop a strategic statewide plan for nursing manpower in this state by:
o Conducting a statistically valid biennial data-driven gap analysis of the supply and
demand of the healthcare workforce. Demand must align with the Labor Market
Estimating Conference.
o Developing recommendations to increase nurse faculty and clinical preceptors, support
nurse faculty development, and promote advanced nurse education.
o Developing best practices in the academic preparation and continuing education needs of
qualified nurse educators, nurse faculty, and clinical preceptors.
o Collecting data on nurse faculty, employment, distribution, and retention.
o Piloting innovative projects to support the recruitment, development, and retention of
qualified nurse faculty and clinical preceptors.
o Encouraging and coordinating the development of academic-practice partnerships to
support nurse faculty employment and advancement.
o Developing distance learning infrastructure for nursing education and advancing faculty
competencies in the pedagogy of teaching and the evidence-based use of technology,
simulation, and distance learning techniques.
Enhance and promote recognition, reward, and renewal activities for nurses in the state by:
o Promoting nursing excellence programs such as magnet recognition by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center.
o Proposing and creating additional reward, recognition, and renewal activities for nurses.
o Promoting media and positive image-building efforts for nursing.
14
Section 464.003(1), F.S. Eligible nursing associations are: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN),
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)) or National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education
Accreditation (NLN CNEA). Florida Board of Nursing, What is the difference between an “approved” and an “accredited”
prelicensure nursing education program in Florida? https://floridasnursing.gov/help-center/what-is-the-difference-between-
an-approved-and-an-accredited-pre-licensure-nursing-education-program-in-florida/ (last visited Feb. 3. 2023).
15
Section 464.019(9), F.S.
16
Excluded institutions are those exempt from licensure by the Commission of Independent Education under s. 1005.06(1),
F.S. Section 464.019(11)(d), F.S.
17
Section 464.019(11)(a)-(d), F.S.
18
Chapter 2001-277, s. 97, Laws of Fla. and s. 464.0195, F.S.
19
Section 464.0195, F.S. BILL: SB 274 Page 5
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
Postsecondary Credit for Military Training and Education Courses
SB 274 creates the “Pathway for Military Combat Medics Act.” The bill expands s. 1004.096,
F.S., to promote uniformity in the application of military combat medic training and education
toward postsecondary credit (credit) or career education clock hours (clock hours) by public
postsecondary educational institutions. The bill establishes a process similar to those established
for the award of postsecondary credit for military training and education and for law enforcement
training.
The bill requires the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC) to, by July 15, 2023, convene
a workgroup to establish a process for determining postsecondary course equivalencies and the
minimum credit or clock hours that must be awarded in an accredited nursing education program
for military training and education required for service in as an Army Combat Medic Specialist,
a Navy or Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman, an Air Force or Space Force Aerospace
Medical Service Technician, or a Coast Guard Health Services Technician.
The workgroup must consist of the following 13 members:
The chair of the ACC, or his or her designee, serving as chair;
Four members representing academic affairs administrators and faculty from state
universities, appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors (BOG);
Four members representing academic affairs administrators and faculty from Florida College
System (FCS) institutions, appointed by the chair of the State Board of Education (SBE);
Two members representing faculty from career centers, appointed by the SBE; and
Two members representing veterans, appointed by the executive director of the Florida
Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Office of K-20 Articulation must provide administrative support for the workgroup.
The workgroup must ensure that the award of credit or clock hours does not impair an accredited
program’s ability to comply with requirements relating to the state approval of nursing education
programs. The workgroup must provide recommendations regarding the determination process
for awarding credit or clock hours to the BOG and the SBE by December 1, 2023, for approval at
each board’s next meeting that allows for adequate public notice.
Upon the BOG and the SBE approval of the workgroup’s process recommendations, the ACC
must facilitate a review of military training and education for the specified military occupations
to determine postsecondary course equivalencies and the minimum credit or clock hours that
must be awarded.
Within one year after BOG and SBE approval of the ACC workgroup recommended process, the
ACC must approve a prioritized list of postsecondary course equivalencies and the minimum
credit or clock hours that must be awarded in an accredited program for such military training
and education. The list must then be adopted in the statewide articulation agreement by the BOG
and SBE at the next meeting of each board allowing for adequate public notice. The list must be
updated annually. BILL: SB 274 Page 6
The bill requires state universities, FCS institutions, and career centers to award credit or clock
hours, as applicable, for such military training and education based on the adopted list, if the
credit or clock hours are applicable to the student’s degree or certificate. Institutions may also
grant additional credit or clock hours, if appropriate. Credit or clock hours awarded on these
bases are guaranteed to transfer from one state university, FCS institution, or career center to
another.
Florida Center for Nursing
The bill modifies s. 464.0195, F.S., by revising a primary goal of the Florida Center for Nursing
to provide that, under its strategic statewide plan for nursing manpower, the encouragement and
coordination of the development of academic-practice partnerships must include partnerships
with hospitals that provide opportunities for nursing students to obtain clinical experience.
This bill takes effect upon becoming law.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
Should the workgroup process result in identifying additional equivalencies for military
training and experience, students may be eligible to receive postsecondary credit toward BILL: SB 274 Page 7
an accredited pre-licensure nursing program. Credits from this experience may save the
student time and the cost of receiving a nursing degree at a state university.
20
C. Government Sector Impact:
The bill has no impact on state expenditures.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends sections 464.019 and 1004.096 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.
20
Board of Governors, 2023 Legislative Bill Analysis for SB 274 (Feb. 1, 2023).