Capitol Connection
2022 Legislative Session: Week 1
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The 2022 Florida Legislative Session officially began on Tuesday, January 11th. The next eight weeks will move quickly in Tallahassee, and we appreciate your interest in monitoring issues that may impact Florida’s children and families. The Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils & Trusts hopes that the content provided in this digest and the subsequent issues will help inform your advocacy efforts until session ends (sine die) on Friday, March 11th.
Each week Capitol Connection will provide a brief summary of relative events from the executive and legislative branches. The update will also include information on legislation that has moved that week and provide updates on presentations, press conferences, and conversations that may be of interest.
To conclude Week 1 of regular session, please find below a list of bills that we are currently monitoring. Moving forward, we will only include bills that were considered and/or acted upon during that week. The first column lists the bill number, name, and sponsor and provides a hyperlink to the bill's text and history. The numbered circles represent the number of committees of reference for each bill, and the final column provides a brief description of the bill(s). Here is a key to help guide you in your review of where each bill is:
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Opening Day & State of the State Address |
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The 2022 60-day legislative session opened on Tuesday, January 11th. House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, spoke to both chambers followed by the State of the State address by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Speaker Sprowls challenged his chamber asking “What are you willing to risk?” stating:
“This Session, in this House, we are going to be looking at the risk portfolio of our state. Some risks are concrete and specific, like the deficiencies in our state's cybersecurity infrastructure. Some risks are massive and omnipresent, like the array of problems created by the threat of hurricanes. Some risks are more existential, like what our shared values and beliefs are as Floridians.”
Read the Speaker’s full opening remarks here.
President Simpson’s remarks focused on children stating:
“ My grandchildren have also lit a fire of urgency in me to do all I can to provide them with a solid foundation for their futures.
To me, that’s the true measure of success. Not just taking care of today, but also focusing on tomorrow and the world we will leave to future generations. Last year, I talked a lot about sowing and reaping: The basic law of farming. I had high hopes we would pass laws and make investments that would endure beyond our years in Tallahassee.”
The President also outlined a list of changes he would like to see to better support Florida’s child welfare system.
Read the President’s full opening remarks here.
Governor Desantis stated that “Education represents a major pillar of Florida’s future. I’m happy to note that Florida is again ranked number three for K-12 achievement in the latest Education Week Quality Counts rankings. We have worked hard to keep schools open, increase teacher compensation, promote workforce education and protect the rights of parents.”
Read the Governor’s full State of the State address here.
Legislative committees also met this week to continue taking up bills. On Tuesday, January 11, the Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs passed SB 948 by Senator Lauren Book, D- Plantation, out of its first committee stop. This bill creates a statewide Office of Child Representation and renames an existing section of Florida Statute as the “Guardians Ad-Litem, Guardian Advocates, and Attorney for the Child”. On Wednesday, January 12, the House Criminal Justice & Public Safety Subcommittee passed HB 195 and 197 by Represntative David Smith, R- Winter Springs, out of its first committee stop. These bills must be passed together in order to take effect and require the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to expunge nonjudicial arrest records of minors who successfully complete diversion program for specified felony offenses. Lastly, on Thursday, January 13, the House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee passed HB 235 by Representative Rene Plasencia, R- Titusville, out of its first committee stop. This bill prohibits school personnel from using mechanical restraint on students with disabilities.
As always, we are excited to continue to work alongside our communities, stakeholders, and elected leaders to ensure effective policy is passed that best support our children and families. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
The Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils & Trusts
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Rep. Bartleman
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Sen. Perry
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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.
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Rep. LaMarca
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Sen. Hooper
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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.
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Rep. Grall
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Sen. Gruters
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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.
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HB 1319 - School Readiness
Rep. Nixon
NR
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Sen. Taddeo
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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.
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Rep. Roth
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Sen. Broxson
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These identical bills establish an Early Learning Scholarship Program; provides for eligibility, funding, administration, & requirements of the program.
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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. |
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This bill requires early learning coalitions to waive school readiness program copayment for children under court-ordered protective supervision or in out-of-home care; and provides reimbursement in specified amounts to school readiness providers for such children. |
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HB 911 - Instructional Hours for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
Rep. Brown
NR
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Sen. Taddeo
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sen. Perry
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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.
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HB 563 - Children and Young Adults in
Out-of-home Care
Rep. Skidmore
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SB 792 - Children and Young Adults in
Out-of-home Care
Sen. Ausley
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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.
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HB 1505 - Background Screenings
NR
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SB 1830 - Background Screenings
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.
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NR
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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Rep. Chambliss
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Sen. Jones
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These identical bills revises 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.
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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.
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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.
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Children with Disabilities |
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Rep. Tant
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Sen. Jones
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These identical bills revise the definition of the term “exceptional student” to include additional students with developmental delays.
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Rep. Plascencia
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Sen. Book
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These identical bills prohibit school personnel from using mechanical restraint on students with disabilities.
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Economic Self-Sufficiency |
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HB 613 - Tax Rebates for Low-to-Moderate Income Residents
Rep. Robinson (F)
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Sen. Jones
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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.
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For more information on the Florida Alliance of Children's Councils & Trusts, click here.
For more information on Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County, click here.
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www.cscpbc.org | 561-740-7000
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