Capitol Connection

2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: WEEK 6

Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R- Doral) and Representative John Snyder (R- Palm City)

Last week marked the sixth week of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session. Both chambers continued to move substantive legislation in what were the last committee meetings for multiple committees in both the House and the Senate.

On Tuesday, February 13^th, HB 1353 Early Learning by Representative John Snyder, (R- Palm City) was presented in the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee. In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services the committee took up SB 536 Community-based Child Welfare Agencies by Senator Ileana Garcia, (R- Miami) and SB 1442 Pregnancy Support Services by Senator Erin Grall, (R- Ft. Pierce) where both were passed favorably. In the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, HB 499 Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings by Representative Lauren Melo, (R- Naples) and HB 1061 Community-based Child Welfare Agencies by Representative Fiona McFarland, (R- Sarasota) were taken up and passed out of committee.

On Wednesday, February 14^th, the House Education and Employment Committee heard and reported favorably HB 1169 Coordinated Systems of Care for Children by Representative Mike Redondo, (R- Miami). In the Senate Committee on Rules, Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, (R- Doral) presented SB 274 Child Water Safety Requirements where it passed its final committee. Finally, on Wednesday the House Appropriations Committee, approved unanimously HB 1083 Permanency for Children by Representative Dana Trabulsy, (R- St. Lucie).

On Thursday, February 15^th, HB 1267 Economic Self-sufficiency by Representative Adam Anderson, (R- Tarpon Springs) was presented in its final committee stop the House Health & Human Services Committee. In the Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy, HB 1 Social Media Use for Minors by Representative Tyler Sirois, (R- Merritt Island) and HB 3 Online Access to Materials Harmful to Minors by Representative Chase Tramont, (R- Port Orange) were heard and passed favorably as amended. Lastly, the House took up HB 415 Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Website by Representative Berny Jacques, (R-Clearwater) where it passed the House and is now in Senate messages.

At this time the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils & Trusts has removed any bills that have not had an appearance at a committee during the 2024 Regular Legislative Session from the bill tracker below.

As always, we look forward to bringing you all the information from the 2024 Regular Legislative Session.

Until next time!

Sincerely,

The Children's Trust

Voted Favorably By Committee

Did Not Pass Committee Vote

Temporarily Postponed in Committee

Referred to Committee but Not Yet Heard

Bill has not yet been referred to committees

Healthy Development

These identical bills require the Department of Health to work in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration to maintain a website that provides information and links to pregnancy and parenting resources.

These identical bills establish the Florida State Maternity Housing Grant Program within the Department of Health.

These similar and comparable bills require social media platforms to develop and implement protocols for user age verification, content moderation, and parental control settings. Social media platforms must provide resources, measures, and disclaimers and prohibit certain schools from requiring students to register, enroll, or participate in social media.

These identical bills require hospitals to administer congenital cytomegalovirus screenings on newborns admitted to the hospital under specific circumstances. Provides for Medicaid coverage for screening, management, treatment, and follow-up services.

Early Learning

These identical bills revise provisions of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program related to instructor requirements, screening and progress monitoring, instructional support, and administrative spending by early learning coalitions.

These identical bills revise the eligibility priorities for participation in the school readiness program.

These similar bills revise positions related to tax credits for corporations providing or paying for child care; licensing standards for child care facilities; child care personnel; minimum standards; child care regulation; & large family child care homes.

These identical bills revise the methods used to determine the annual allocation for the school readiness program as well as the determination of parent co-payments for participants in the school readiness program.

K-12 Education

These identical bills provide requirements for school districts regarding care coordination of a mental health and treatment support system for specified children.

This bill updates school personnel initial and continuing requirements and modifies how school districts may recruit, hire, manage, pay, and evaluate teachers.

This bill revises and removes requirements on school districts to allow for efficient administrative processes, enhancement of facilities management, and simplification of financial requirements.

This bill provides school districts additional authority related to prekindergarten programs, retention and graduation, assessments, school improvement, instructional materials, and reporting.

Children with Disabilities

These similar bills require officers to be trained regarding individuals with autism spectrum disorder as a condition of employment.

Out of School Time

These comparable bills revise the age at which employment restrictions apply and remove certain employment restrictions for minors 16 & 17 years of age.

Child Protection

These similar bills revise provisions related to guardian and attorney ad litem access for dependent children, modifies out-of-home case plan requirements, and authorizes the Pathway to Prosperity program to provide grants to youth and young adults aging out of foster care.

These identical bills expand the types of reports that the Department of Children and Families must refer to Child Protective Teams.

These similar bills revise and create requirements relating to dependent children including adoption services, access to confidential records, placement of children, and the Guardianship Assistance Program.

These similar bills revise requirements for contracts the Department of Children and Families has with community-based care lead agencies.

These similar bills require organizations that care for or supervise children to enact policies related to water safety.

These similar bills create a program within the Department of Health to offer vouchers for swimming lessons to qualifying families. The bills require the Department of Health to establish eligibility criteria, a method for applying for vouchers, and a network of swimming lesson vendors.

Juvenile Justice

These identical bills revise penalties for minors committing firearms violations.

These identical bills require school districts to allow students in juvenile justice programs at least one opportunity to take a high school equivalency exam at no cost to the student.

These identical bills revise the criteria for the criminal record expunction process for juveniles.

Economic Self-Sufficiency

These similar bills revise various components of the TANF, SNAP, and School Readiness program to address benefits cliffs.

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For more information, contact: Natalia Zea, Chief Public Policy and Engagement Officer at natalia@thechildrenstrust.org.

The Children's Trust