Division powers and duties; Florida State Fire College.

(1) The division, in performing its duties related to the Florida State Fire College, specified in this part, shall:

(a) Enter into agreements with public or private school districts, community colleges, junior colleges, or state universities to carry out its duties and responsibilities.

(b) Review and approve budget requests for the fire college educational program.

(c) Prepare the legislative budget request for the Florida State Fire College education program. The superintendent is responsible for all expenditures pursuant to appropriations.

(d) Implement procedures to obtain appropriate entitlement funds from federal and state grants to supplement the annual legislative appropriation. Such funds must be used expressly for the fire college educational programs.

(e) Approve and register in an electronic database an education or training provider, designated by the division, before the education or training provider may offer any course to fulfill any education or training requirement under this chapter. The division shall establish criteria, by rule, for the approval of such education or training providers, including courses taught. Only approved and registered education or training providers are eligible to provide instruction or training that will be recognized by the division as fulfilling any education or training requirement under this chapter.

(f) Recognize only courses offered by approved and registered training or education providers as fulfilling the education or training requirements under this chapter.

(2) Funds generated by the formula per full-time equivalent student may not exceed the level of state funding per full-time equivalent student generated through the Florida Education Finance Program or the State Community College Program Fund for students enrolled in comparable education programs provided by public school districts and community colleges. Funds appropriated for education and operational costs shall be deposited in the Insurance Regulatory Trust Fund to be used solely for purposes specified in s. 633.436 and may not be transferred to any other budget entity for purposes other than education.

(3) The division shall waive all living and incidental expenses associated with attending the Florida State Fire College for an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the spouse of such a member who was serving on active duty at the time of death and died within the 2 years preceding the spouse attending the college, an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces, or the spouse or surviving spouse of such a veteran. A qualified individual must provide a copy of a military identification card, military dependent identification card, military service record, military personnel file, veteran record, discharge paper, or separation document that indicates such member is currently in good standing or such veteran is honorably discharged.