Capitol Connection

November 2023

Welcome to the second edition of Capitol Connection! Since the 2024 Annual Legislative Session begins on January 9, 2024, legislative committee weeks are being held during the months of October, November, and December. This edition will provide a wrap-up of Florida’s November legislative committee weeks. The first committee week of November was used as a Special Session that focused on multiple issues including hurricane relief, support for Israel, expanded sanctions against terrorist regimes, additional security infrastructure to guard against antisemitic violence/hate crimes, additional funding for students with unique abilities, and increased resiliency efforts to help lessen insurance costs.

The second committee week of November took place from the 13^th to the 17^th. This committee week focused on deregulation of public school requirements, alternative pathways to teacher certification, and prevention services in child welfare within the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Florida Network on Child and Family in Need of Service.

Presentations of interest on education and child welfare during the month of November may be found below:

House Committee Presentations:

11/15/23 House Education Quality Subcommittee

Senate Committee Presentations:

11/15/23 Senate Committee on Education Prek-12

11/15/23 Senate Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Additionally, we have updated the bill tracker with bills that have been filed to date for the 2024 legislative session.

December committee weeks will take place December 4^th through the 8^th and December 11^th through the 15^th.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out.

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 similar 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.

These identical bills establish a mental health professional scholarship and loan forgiveness program within the Department of Health.

K-12 Education

This bill revises 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.

This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a program to provide vouchers for child care services to children within a specified age range whose parents meet a specified income limitation.

These identical bills revise the required instructional hours in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to provide for an 8-hour program day in summer & school-year programs.

These identical bills revise the definition of the term "economically disadvantaged" for purposes of the school readiness program.

K-12 Education

These identical bills requires establishment and operations of a universal free school breakfast and lunch program for public school students.

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.

Out of School Time

This bill revises the age at which employment restrictions apply and removes certain employment restrictions for minors 16 & 17 years of age.

Child Protection

This bill revises 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.

This bill revises requirements for contracts the Department of Children and Families has with community-based care lead agencies.

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

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

Juvenile Justice

This bill requires 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.

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

The Children's Trust