Capitol Connection
2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WEEK 4
This week marked week 4 and the halfway point of the Regular Legislative Session. On Friday, February 4th both chambers released their initial budget proposals. The Senate’s budget proposal totaled $108.6 billion while the House’s budget proposal totaled $105.3 billion. As the final few weeks of the legislative session unfold these spending plans will continue to be refined and negotiated within and across each chamber.

The budget press release from the Senate President’s Office may be found here.
The budget press release from the House Speaker’s Office may be found here.

On Thursday, February 3rd the House Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee met to unveil its proposed committee bill, PCB CFS 22-01 regarding Child Welfare. This bill looks at establishing a number of programs to support increased fatherhood engagement as well as supporting children in the child welfare system who may also become involved with the state’s juvenile justice system.

This week also saw movement on priority legislation. HB 195 the Juvenile Diversion Program Expunction bill by Representative David Smith, (R- Winter Springs) passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee and now heads to the House floor. SB 1830 by Senator Jason Brodeur, (R- Lake Mary) regarding Background Screening passed unanimously in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Lastly, HB 1199 by Representative Erin Grall, (R- Vero Beach) regarding funding for the School Readiness program passed unanimously out of the House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee.

Next week, HB 1319 by Representative Angie Nixon, (D-Jacksonville) regarding School Readiness is agended to appear in the House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee. In the Senate Appropriations Committee bills agended to appear include the Senate Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs committee bill SB 7034 relating to Child Welfare, SB 1048 by Senator Manny Diaz, (R- Hialeah Gardens) relating to Student Assessments, and SB 342 by Senator Keith Perry, (R- Gainesville) regarding Juvenile Diversion Program Expunction. 

Until next week!

Sincerely,

The Florida Alliance of Children's Councils & Trusts
Healthy Development
These identical bills increase the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kidcare program; requires applicants seeking coverage under the program to provide specified documentation under certain circumstances; and requires that premiums for certain enrollees under the program be based on a tiered system of uniform premiums.
These identical bills ​​establish a tiered system of family premiums for Title XXI coverage under the Florida Kidcare program beginning with a specified fiscal year and authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration to seek federal waiver approval or submit any state plan amendments as necessary; provides for future expiration; increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the program to conform to changes made by the act; and provides for reversion of certain provisions.
HB 1073 - Newborn Screenings
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SB 292 - Newborn Screenings
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These identical bills ​​establish a tiered system of family premiums for Title XXI coverage under the Florida Kidcare program beginning with a specified fiscal year and authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration to seek federal waiver approval or submit any state plan amendments as necessary; provides for future expiration; increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the program to conform to changes made by the act; and provides for reversion of certain provisions.
Early Learning
These identical bills delete the requirement that school readiness program funds be used to increase the number of children served; requires the Division of Early Learning to conduct a School Readiness Funding Formula Allocation Conference before distribution of certain funds for school readiness program; specifies conference principals; provides division duties; and provides requirements for the conference.
These identical bills require early learning coalitions to adopt a payment rate schedule rather than a payment schedule; require early learning coalitions to reimburse contracted school readiness program providers the minimum payment rate; revises the required contents of early learning coalition plans; and directs the Division of Early Learning within the Department of Education to amend its Child Care and Development Fund Plan to identify certain personnel as essential workers for a specified purpose.
These identical bills establish an Early Learning Scholarship Program; provides for eligibility, funding, administration, & requirements of the program.
Sen. Bean
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This bill requires the Division of Early Learning of the Department of Education to conduct an analysis of solutions to help close early learning opportunity gaps for children in the child welfare system; and requires the division to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by a specified date.
Rep. Roach
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This bill requires the Division of Early Learning of the Department of Education to conduct an analysis of solutions to help close early learning opportunity gaps for children in the child welfare system; and requires the division to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by a specified date.
These identical bills revise instructional hours required in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to provide for 8-hour program day in summer & school-year programs.
Juvenile Justice
These identical bills require the Department of Law Enforcement to expunge the nonjudicial arrest record of certain minors who successfully complete a diversion program for specified felony offenses, rather than only for misdemeanor offenses; authorizing a minor who successfully completes a diversion program for any offense, rather than only for a first-time misdemeanor offense.
These identical bills provide an exemption from public records requirements for a nonjudicial record of the arrest of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program; provide for retroactive application; provide for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; and provide a statement of public necessity. HB 195 or its companion will have to pass in order for HB 197 or SB 344 to take effect.
These identical bills remove juveniles from numerous provisions relating to court fees; provides that fees & court-ordered costs previously ordered to be paid are unenforceable & uncollectable; and provides for reinstatement of driver licenses suspended for failure to make specified payments.
Child Protection
These similar bills specify rights of children & young adults in out-of-home care; provides roles & responsibilities of the Department of Children and Families & community-based care lead agencies; authorizes district school boards to establish certain educational programs; designates a children's ombudsman within the department & provides responsibilities of the ombudsman; requires the department & community-based care lead agencies to use information provided by the ombudsman in carrying out responsibilities; and requires the department to establish statewide a toll-free telephone number for the ombudsman.
Rep. Trabulsy
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Sen. Brodeur
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These identical bills require independent sanctioning authorities to conduct level 2 instead of level 1 background screenings of current and prospective athletic coaches; requires certain athletic coaches to be rescreened every 5 years following the date of their most recent background screening or exemption; requires the Criminal Justice Information Program to develop a method for establishing direct identification in a certain manner; requires, rather than authorizing, the Department of Law Enforcement to periodically audit qualified entities; requires certain fingerprints to be submitted to the clearinghouse; and requires certain information to be filed or submitted through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse.
Rep. Maggard
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Sen. Book
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These identical bills specify circumstances under which a court is required or authorized, on or after a specified date, to appoint a guardian ad litem in certain proceedings; renames the Guardian Ad Litem Qualifications Committee as the Child Well-Being Qualifications Committee; requires the office to develop guidelines to identify conflicts of interest of guardians ad litem; creating the Statewide Office of Child Representation within the Justice Administrative Commission; and specifies when the court is required or authorized to appoint an attorney for the child.
Children, Families, and Elder Affairs
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This bill expresses legislative intent to revise laws relating to the welfare of children in Florida.
SB 1106 - Domestic Violence and Parental Responsibility Determinations
Sen. Berman
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These identical bills require a court to order shared parental responsibility if it is in the best interests of the child; provides that clear & convincing evidence of certain conduct creates certain rebuttable presumption; authorizes a parent to rebut such presumption if specified criteria are met; requires the court to consider all time-sharing factors when developing time-sharing schedule if the presumption is rebutted; provides for sole parental responsibility with specified time-sharing arrangements; removes the requirement for a court to consider certain evidence regardless of whether there is conviction; revises & provides factors that a court must consider when determining best interests of the child; and revises instructions & form for domestic violence injunctions to require inclusion of certain information.
K-12
Rep. Chambliss
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These identical bills revise the required age for compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years of age; removes requirement that student's parent sign declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment; and removes requirement that school district notify student's parent upon receipt of such declaration.
Rep. Plasencia
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Sen. Diaz
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These comparable bills revise the grade levels for which the coordinated screening and monitoring program measures student progress in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; revise requirements for the statewide, standardized comprehensive assessments program, beginning with a specified school year; require that progress monitoring include both a web-based and mobile device-compatible option; require 2022-2023 school and school district grades to serve as an informal baseline for schools and school districts; and provide that school improvement ratings will not be calculated for a certain school year.
HB 415 - Native Language Assessments in Public Schools
Rep. Plasencia
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SB 708 - Native Language Assessments in Public Schools
Sen. Rodriguez (A)
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These identical bills require that a high school equivalency examination administered in any language other than English be given the same weight as a high school equivalency examination administered in English; require written portions of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 to be in specified native languages; and revise requirements of the statewide, standardized assessment program to include native language versions of related assessments.
Children with Disabilities
These identical bills ​​revise the definition of the term “exceptional student” to include additional students with developmental delays.
These identical bills ​​prohibit school personnel from using mechanical restraint on students with disabilities.
Economic Self-Sufficiency
These identical bills create the Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within the Department of Revenue for a certain purpose; grants specified people and households certain state funds if they received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and meet certain criteria; prohibits receipt of the rebate from being used in certain program eligibility determinations.