(a) Immigrated to the United States after leaving the person’s home country because of political reasons, provided such country is located in the Western Hemisphere and lacks diplomatic relations with the United States; (b) Applies to the department and submits a fee; (c) Was a Florida resident immediately preceding the person’s application; (d) Demonstrates to the department, through submission of documentation verified by the applicant’s respective professional association in exile, that the applicant was graduated with an appropriate professional or occupational degree from a college or university; however, the department may not require receipt of any documentation from the Republic of Cuba as a condition of eligibility under this section; (e) Lawfully practiced the profession for at least 3 years; (f) Prior to 1980, successfully completed an approved course of study pursuant to chapters 74-105 and 75-177, Laws of Florida; and (g) Presents a certificate demonstrating the successful completion of a continuing education program which offers a course of study that will prepare the applicant for the examination offered under subsection (2). The department shall develop rules for the approval of such programs for its boards. (2) Upon request of a person who meets the requirements of subsection (1) and submits an examination fee, the department, for its boards, shall provide a written practical examination which tests the person’s current ability to practice the profession competently in accordance with the actual practice of the profession. Evidence of meeting the requirements of subsection (1) shall be treated by the department as evidence of the applicant’s preparation in the academic and preprofessional fundamentals necessary for successful professional practice, and the applicant shall not be examined by the department on such fundamentals. (3) The fees charged for the examinations offered under subsection (2) shall be established by the department, for its boards, by rule and shall be sufficient to develop or to contract for the development of the examination and its administration, grading, and grade reviews. (4) The department shall examine any applicant who meets the requirements of subsections (1) and (2). Upon passing the examination and the issuance of the license, a licensee is subject to the administrative requirements of this chapter and the respective practice act under which the license is issued. Each applicant so licensed is subject to all provisions of this chapter and the respective practice act under which the license was issued. (5) Upon a request by an applicant otherwise qualified under this section, the examinations offered under subsection (2) may be given in the applicant’s native language, provided that any translation costs are borne by the applicant. (6) The department, for its boards, shall not issue an initial license to, or renew a license of, any applicant or licensee who is under investigation or prosecution in any jurisdiction for an action which would constitute a violation of this chapter or the professional practice acts administered by the department and the boards until such time as the investigation or prosecution is complete, at which time the provisions of the professional practice acts shall apply.
(6) In addition to meeting any other requirements for licensure by examination or by endorsement, and notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (1) (c), an applicant may be required by a board, or the department when there is no board, to certify competency in state laws and rules relating to the applicable practice act. All laws and rules examinations shall be administered electronically unless the laws and rules examination is administered concurrently with another written examination for that profession or unless the electronic administration would be substantially more expensive. (7) The department may post examination scores electronically on the Internet in lieu of mailing the scores to each applicant. The electronic posting of the examination scores meets the requirements of chapter 120 if the department also posts along with the examination scores a notification of the rights set forth in chapter 120. The date of receipt for purposes of chapter 120 is the date the examination scores are posted electronically. The department shall also notify the applicant when scores are posted electronically of the availability of postexamination review, if applicable. 456.018—Penalty for Theft or Reproduction of an Examination In addition to, or in lieu of, any other discipline imposed pursuant to s. 456.072, the theft of an examination in whole or in part or the act of reproducing or copying any examination administered by the department, whether such examination is reproduced or copied in part or in whole and by any means, constitutes a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 456.019—Restriction on Requirement of Citizenship A person is not disqualified from practicing an occupation or profession regulated by the state solely because she or he is not a United States citizen. 456.021—Qualification of Immigrants for Examination to Practice a Licensed Profession or Occupation (1) It is the declared purpose of this section to encourage the use of foreign-speaking Florida residents duly qualified to become actively qualified in their professions so that all people of this state may receive better services. (2) Any person who has successfully completed, or is currently enrolled in, an approved course of study created pursuant to chapters 74-105 and 75-177, Laws of Florida, shall be deemed qualified for examination and reexaminations for a professional or occupational license which shall be administered in the English language unless 15 or more such applicants request that the reexamination be administered in their native language. In the event that such reexamination is administered in a foreign language, the full cost to the board of preparing and administering it shall be borne by the applicants. examination all persons who were resident nationals of the Republic of Cuba and who, on July 1, 1977, were residents of this state. 456.022—Foreign-Trained Professionals; Special Examination and License Provisions (1) When not otherwise provided by law, within its jurisdiction, the department shall by rule provide procedures under which exiled professionals may be examined within each practice act. A person shall be eligible for such examination if the person: (3) Each board within the department shall adopt and implement programs designed to qualify for
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Book Code: MFL1227
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