Capitol Connection
2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION RECAP
On Monday, March 14th, at 1:03 PM the 2022 Regular Legislative Session adjourned “Sine Die”. This marked the end of a legislative session that saw 3,735 bills and proposed committee bills filed which resulted in 285 bills passed. It also included the largest spending plan in Florida’s history with the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget coming in at $112.1 billion. 

For more information on the 2022 General Appropriations Act and conforming bills click here.

In addition, a budget summary from the Florida Senate can be found here.

Below you will find a list of enrolled substantive bills and appropriations highlights for each area of focus that was tracked by the Florida Alliance of Children’s Council & Trusts.

As we end the 2022 legislative session we would like to thank you for subscribing to Capitol Connection. Please be on the lookout for supplemental editions throughout the year as legislative events unfold.

Until next time!

Sincerely,

The Florida Alliance of Children's Councils & Trusts
Healthy Development
Substantive Legislation: 
  • SB 292 regarding Newborn Screenings by Senator Tina Polsky, (D- Boca Raton) 
  • HB 7065 regarding Child Welfare by the House Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee

Appropriations Highlights: 
  • $5,400,000 in funding provided to the Department of Health for the Telehealth Minority Maternity Care Pilot program.
  • $4,420,000 provided for grants to fatherhood programs that are integrated with home visiting programs.
Early Learning
Substantive Legislation: 
  • SB 2524 regarding Education by Appropriations (lines 2008-2505)

Appropriations Highlights: 
  • $30,000,000 is provided to the Division of Early Learning to implement the Early Literacy Micro-credential incentives. (New Funding)
  • $70,000,000 is provided to the Division of Early Learning to administer the Gold Seal Quality Care program. (New Funding)
  • $5,000,000 is provided to the Division of Early Learning to administer the special needs differential allocation. (New Funding)
  • $71,157,770 is provided to the Division of Early Learning to assist the early learning coalitions in the transition to the school readiness program allocation distribution. (New Funding)
  • Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) base student allocation per full-time equivalent student for the school year program shall be $2,803, and the base student allocation for the summer program shall be $2,393. This represents an increase of $277 per student for the school year program and $137 per student for the summer program. (Highest VPK BSA in program history)
  • $100,000,000 is provided for Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) providers to provide an additional increase for the 2022-2023 fiscal year in the base student allocation per full-time equivalent student for the school year program and the summer program to support paying VPK personnel wages of at least $15.00 per hour for VPK duties. (New Funding)
Juvenile Justice
Substantive Legislation:
  • HB 195 regarding Juvenile Diversion Program Expunction by Representative David Smith, (R- Winter Springs) 
  • HB 197 regarding Public Records/Nonjudicial Arrest of a Minor by Representative David Smith, (R- Winter Springs)
Child Protection
Substantive Legislation:
  • SB 7034 regarding Child Welfare by the Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs
  • HB 7065 regarding Child Welfare by the House Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee

Appropriations Highlights: 
  • $32,585,000 is provided to award grants that expand mentorship programs for at-risk boys, grants that address the comprehensive needs of fathers to enhance parental support, and grants specifically for evidence-based programs that provide parenting education for fathers. (New Funding)
  • $150,489,489 is provided to Community Based Care lead agencies as an increase for core services. The allocated funds consider appropriate caseworker to caseload ratios and the costs of providing child welfare services, prevention efforts, and licensed residential placement. (New Funding)
  • $5,710,752 from the General Revenue Fund is provided to Community Based Care lead agencies to support former foster youth’s success in the Postsecondary Education Services and Support (PESS) program. (New Funding)
  • $16,123,032 is provided to implement board rate parity for relative and nonrelative caregivers who care for a child who has not reached court-ordered permanency, and for foster parents who are licensed as Level I through Level V placements. (New Funding)
  • $24,880,800 is provided to implement a supplemental monthly child care subsidy of $200 for licensed foster parents, and relative and nonrelative caregivers. (New Funding)
  • $8,352,000 is provided to increase the financial assistance stipend provided to postsecondary youth. (New Funding)
K-12 Education
Substantive Legislation:
  • SB 1048 regarding Student Assessments by Senator Manny Diaz, (R- Hialeah Gardens). This bill was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on March 15, 2022.
  • SB 2524 regarding Education by Appropriations (Education Background Screening Provisions for Education)
 
Appropriations Highlights:  
  • Largest K-12 budget with per-pupil funding of $8,142.85 this represents an increase of $214.49 per student.
Children With Disabilities
Substantive Legislation:
  • SB 236 regarding Children with Developmental Delays by Senator Shevrin Jones, (D- Miami Gardens) 
  • HB 235 regarding Restraint of Students with Disabilities in Public Schools by Representative Rene Placencia, (R- Titusville)
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For more information, contact: Sarah Heath - [email protected]