What Qualifies Florida Correctional Officers as Emergency First Responders?

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* 1. Before taking this survey how aware were you that in 2023, on National Fentanyl Awareness Day (May 9th), Attorney General Ashley Moody launched a new program to help fight the national opioid crisis. Flanked by first responders in Clearwater, FL., Attorney General Moody announced Helping Heroes. This new initiative will provide free naloxone to law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics at select Walmart pharmacy locations across the state. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that quickly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Helping Heroes will run now until 2033 through an agreement between the Florida Attorney General’s Office and Walmart.

According to the Helping Heroes Program launched and endorsed by Attorney General Moody: “licensed emergency responders include law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, correctional officers and correctional-probation officers”

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* 2. Before taking this survey how aware were you of the following five legal precedents:

1. In 2020, Helping Emergency Responders Obtain Support (HEROS) a Florida Health program was endorsed by Governor DeSantis and State Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD and provides free naloxone to emergency response agencies. Since the inception of the program in 2018, over 500,000 doses have been provided through the HEROS program to 385 emergency response agencies in Florida. Any Florida agency that employs licensed emergency responders may apply to the HEROS program online.

According to HEROS the Governor DeSantis endorsed Florida Health Department program:

“licensed emergency responders include law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians or paramedics, correctional officers and correctional probation officers as defined in Florida Statutes”

2. On 3/23/2022, CS/CS/HJR 1: Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Specified Critical Public Service Workforce was signed by officers and filed with Secretary of State and lines 136-141 of this Joint Resolution read as:

"As used in this subsection and as further defined by general law, the term "first responder" means a law enforcement officer, a correctional officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, or a paramedic.

3. In 2023, according to lines 960-965 in HB 7063: Taxation:
“1. "First responder" means a federal law enforcement officer as defined in s. 901.1505(1), a law enforcement officer or correctional officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as defined in s. 633.102, or an emergency medical technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is a full-time paid employee, part-time paid employee, or unpaid volunteer."

On 05/20/2023 HB 7063: Taxation was signed by the officers of the Florida State Legislature and on 05/20/2023 HB 7063: Taxation was approved and signed into law by Governor DeSantis.

4. According to Fla. Stat. 112.1912, "(1) As used in this section, the term “first responder” means:(a) A law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation officer as defined in s. 112.19(1) who is killed as provided in s. 112.19(2) on or after July 1, 2019; (b) A firefighter as defined in s. 112.191(1) who is killed as provided in s. 112.191(2) on or after July 1, 2019; or (c) An emergency medical technician or a paramedic, as defined in s. 112.1911(1), who is killed as provided in s. 112.1911(2) on or after July 1, 2019.

5. According to Fla. Stat. 196.081. "1.”First responder” means a law enforcement officer or correctional officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as defined in s. 633.102, or an emergency medical technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is a full-time paid employee, part-time paid employee, or unpaid volunteer."

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* 3. *****NOW MOVING ON TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER QUESTIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH PAGE 2 OF THIS SURVEY (MAKE SURE TO CLICK NEXT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO CONTINUE ON TO PAGE 2 OF THE SURVEY):

Before taking this survey how aware were you that in 2022, according to lines 122-124 of CS/CS/HB 1563: Homestead Property Tax Exemptions for Classroom Teachers, Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Child Welfare Professionals, and Servicemembers:

"the term "Law enforcement officer" means a law enforcement officer or correctional officer as those terms are defined in s. 943.10(1) and (2)” and on 6/24/2022, CS/CS/HB 1563 was approved and signed into law by Governor DeSantis.

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