Capitol Connection

2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: WEEK 7

Senator Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) and Representative Fiona McFarland (R- Sarasota)

Last week marked the seventh week of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session. Both chambers continued to move substantive legislation paving the way for budget negotiations to begin during week eight.

On Tuesday, February 20^th, the House Appropriations Committee took up HB 635 Child Care and Early Learning by Representative Fiona McFarland, (R- Sarasota) where it passed its last committee stop favorably. In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, SB 1486 Permanency for Children by Senator Jay Collins, (R- Tampa) was presented in its second committee stop.

On Wednesday, February 21^st, the House Education & Employment Committee heard HB 929 School Readiness Program by Representative Dana Trabulsy, (R- St. Lucie) and HB 1353 Early Learning by Representative John Snyder, (R- Palm City) marking the last committee stop for both pieces of legislation.

On Thursday, February 22^nd, HB 207 Social Media Protection for Minors by Representative Michele K. Rayner, (D- St. Petersburg) was presented in the House Commerce Committee marking its second committee stop. The House Health & Human Services Committee had a packed agenda, taking up HB 185 Dependent Children by Representative Dana Trabulsy, (R- St. Lucie), HB 499 Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings by Representative Lauren Melo, (R- Naples), HB 581 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program by Representative Demi Busatta Cabrera, (R- Coral Gables), HB 1061 Community-based Child Welfare Agencies by Representative Fiona McFarland, (R- Sarasota), and HB 1083 Permanency for Children by Representative Dana Trabulsy, (R- St. Lucie) which were all reported favorably. The Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy also took up and passed multiple tracked bills as well, including SB 168 Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings by Senator Tina Polsky, (D- Boca Raton), SB 864 Autism Spectrum Disorder Training for Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers by Senator Jay Collins, (R- Sarasota), SB 1224 Dependent Children by Senator Colleen Burton, (R- Lakeland), and SB 1274 Juvenile Justice by Senator Jennifer Bradley, (R- Fleming Island). Additionally, the House passed HB 1267 Economic Self-sufficiency by Representative Adam Anderson, (R- Tarpon Springs) and the Senate passed HB 1 Social Media Use for Minors by Representative Tyler Sirois, (R- Merritt Island).

On Friday, February 23^rd, the presiding officers of both chambers submitted HB 1 to the Governor for signature which must be signed or vetoed within seven days.

The Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils & Trusts has continued to remove any bills that have more than two committee stops left 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 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 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 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.

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