Bill Text: FL S0184 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Military and Veterans Affairs

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2016-04-15 - Chapter No. 2016-242 [S0184 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S0184-Comm_Sub.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2016                              CS for SB 184
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senator Bean
       
       
       
       
       
       576-01542-16                                           2016184c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to military and veterans affairs;
    3         amending s. 322.08, F.S.; requiring the application
    4         form for an original, renewal, or replacement driver
    5         license or identification card to include a voluntary
    6         checkoff authorizing veterans to request written or
    7         electronic information on federal, state, and local
    8         benefits and services for veterans; requiring the
    9         requested information to be delivered by a third-party
   10         provider; requiring the Department of Highway Safety
   11         and Motor Vehicles to report monthly to the Department
   12         of Veterans’ Affairs the names and mailing or e-mail
   13         addresses of veterans who request information;
   14         requiring the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to
   15         disseminate veteran contact information to the third
   16         party provider; requiring that the third-party
   17         provider be a nonprofit organization; defining the
   18         term “nonprofit organization”; requiring that the
   19         Department of Veterans’ Affairs provide veteran
   20         contact information to the appropriate county or city
   21         veteran service officer; specifying that a third-party
   22         provider may use veteran contact information only as
   23         authorized; prohibiting a third-party provider from
   24         selling veteran contact information; requiring a
   25         third-party provider to maintain confidentiality of
   26         veteran contact information under specified
   27         provisions; providing a penalty; creating the Military
   28         and Overseas Voting Assistance Task Force within the
   29         Department of State; specifying membership of the task
   30         force; authorizing reimbursement for per diem and
   31         travel expenses; prescribing duties of the task force;
   32         requiring submission of a report to the Governor and
   33         the Legislature by a specified date; providing for
   34         expiration of the task force; providing for staffing;
   35         providing legislative findings and intent regarding
   36         continuing education for veterans of the United States
   37         Armed Forces; providing legislative intent to require
   38         collaboration between the State Board of Education and
   39         the Board of Governors of the State University System
   40         in achieving specified goals regarding educational
   41         opportunities for veterans; providing an effective
   42         date.
   43          
   44  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   45  
   46         Section 1. Present subsection (9) of section 322.08,
   47  Florida Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (10), and a new
   48  subsection (9) is added to that section, to read:
   49         322.08 Application for license; requirements for license
   50  and identification card forms.—
   51         (9)(a) To support the carrying out of the duties of the
   52  Department of Veterans’ Affairs prescribed in s. 292.05 and to
   53  facilitate its outreach to veterans residing in this state, the
   54  application form for an original, a renewal, or a replacement
   55  driver license or identification card must include a voluntary
   56  checkoff authorizing a veteran of the United States Armed Forces
   57  to request written or electronic information on federal, state,
   58  and local benefits and services available to veterans. The
   59  veteran may elect to receive requested information through
   60  United States mail or by e-mail. The requested information shall
   61  be delivered to the veteran by any third-party provider selected
   62  by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to act on its behalf.
   63         (b) The department shall collaborate with the Department of
   64  Veterans’ Affairs to administer this subsection. The department
   65  shall report monthly to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs the
   66  name and mailing address or e-mail address of each veteran who
   67  requests information as provided in paragraph (a). Following
   68  receipt of the monthly report, the Department of Veterans’
   69  Affairs shall disseminate the contact information for each such
   70  veteran to the third-party provider acting on its behalf. The
   71  third-party provider must be a nonprofit organization with
   72  sufficient ability to communicate with veterans residing
   73  throughout this state. For purposes of this paragraph, the term
   74  “nonprofit organization” means an organization exempt from the
   75  federal income tax under s. 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of
   76  1986 or any federal, state, or local governmental entity.
   77         (c) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (b), the
   78  Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall disseminate the contact
   79  information for a veteran who selects the voluntary checkoff to
   80  the appropriate county or city veteran service officer in order
   81  to facilitate further outreach to veterans.
   82         (d)1. The contact information of a veteran which is
   83  obtained by a third-party provider pursuant to this subsection
   84  may be used only as authorized by this subsection. The third
   85  party provider may not sell such contact information. Except as
   86  otherwise provided, the third-party provider must maintain the
   87  confidentiality of the contact information in accordance with
   88  chapter 119 and the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of
   89  1994, 18 U.S.C. ss. 2721 et seq.
   90         2. A person who willfully and knowingly violates this
   91  paragraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable
   92  as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   93         Section 2. Military and Overseas Voting Assistance Task
   94  Force.—The Military and Overseas Voting Assistance Task Force, a
   95  task force as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes, is created
   96  within the Department of State. The task force is created for
   97  the express purpose of studying issues involving the development
   98  and implementation of an online voting system that allows absent
   99  uniformed services voters who are overseas to electronically
  100  submit voted ballots.
  101         (1) The task force is composed of 11 members, as follows:
  102         (a) The Secretary of State or his or her designee, who
  103  shall serve as chair of the task force.
  104         (b) The Adjutant General or his or her designee.
  105         (c) The executive director of the Agency for State
  106  Technology or his or her designee.
  107         (d) One member of the Senate appointed by the President of
  108  the Senate.
  109         (e) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by
  110  the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  111         (f) Three supervisors of elections appointed by the Florida
  112  State Association of Supervisors of Elections.
  113         (g) Three individuals appointed by the Secretary of State,
  114  with relevant expertise in computers, the Internet, or other
  115  associated technologies.
  116         (2) Members of the task force shall serve without
  117  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
  118  travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
  119         (3) The task force, at a minimum, shall study and report on
  120  the following issues:
  121         (a) Any factor that limits the ability of absent uniformed
  122  services voters who are overseas to request, receive, and return
  123  absentee ballots within the current statutory time period for
  124  casting absentee ballots.
  125         (b) The costs associated with the development and
  126  implementation of an online voting system.
  127         (c) The feasibility of absent uniformed services voters who
  128  are overseas using an online voting system to electronically
  129  submit a voted ballot.
  130         (d) The security of electronically submitting a voted
  131  ballot through an online voting system.
  132         (e) Procedures adopted by other states to facilitate
  133  greater electoral participation among absent uniformed services
  134  voters who are overseas.
  135         (4) The Secretary of State shall submit a report to the
  136  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
  137  House of Representatives by July 1, 2017, containing the task
  138  force’s recommendation concerning whether the state should
  139  pursue the development and implementation of an online voting
  140  system that allows absent uniformed services voters who are
  141  overseas to electronically submit voted ballots. If the task
  142  force favorably recommends an online voting system, the report
  143  must include recommended steps for developing and implementing
  144  such a system. Upon submission of the report, the task force
  145  shall expire.
  146         (5) The Division of Elections of the Department of State
  147  shall provide support staff for the task force. The Agency for
  148  State Technology shall assist the task force upon request.
  149         Section 3. Legislative findings and intent; continuing
  150  education of veterans of the United States Armed Forces.—The
  151  Legislature finds that many veterans of the United States Armed
  152  Forces in this state have completed training and coursework
  153  during their military service, including overseas deployments,
  154  resulting in tangible and quantifiable strides in their pursuit
  155  of a postsecondary degree. The Legislature further finds that
  156  the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the
  157  State University System must work together to ensure that
  158  military training and coursework are granted academic credit in
  159  order to assist veterans in continuing their education.
  160  Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the State
  161  Board of Education and the Board of Governors work
  162  collaboratively to:
  163         (1) Align existing degree programs, including, but not
  164  limited to, vocational and technical degrees, at each state
  165  university and Florida College System institution with
  166  applicable military training and experience to maximize academic
  167  credit awarded for such training and experience.
  168         (2) Appoint and train specific faculty within each degree
  169  program at each state university and Florida College System
  170  institution as liaisons and contacts for veterans.
  171         (3) Incorporate outreach services tailored to disabled
  172  veterans into existing disability services on the campus of each
  173  state university and Florida College System institution to make
  174  available to such veterans information on disability services
  175  provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
  176  other federal and state agencies, and private entities.
  177         (4) Facilitate statewide meetings for personnel at state
  178  universities and Florida College System institutions who provide
  179  student services for veterans to discuss and develop best
  180  practices, exchange ideas and experiences, and attend
  181  presentations by individuals with expertise in the unique needs
  182  of veterans.
  183         (5) Make every effort to provide veterans with sufficient
  184  courses required for graduation, including, but not limited to,
  185  giving priority registration to veterans.
  186         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.