Capitol Connection

2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: WEEK 4

Senator Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland) and Representative Berny Jacques (R- Clearwater)

This marked the fourth week of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, and both chambers moved significant substantive legislation.


On Monday, January 29th, HB 1061 Community-based Child Welfare Agencies by Representative Fiona McFarland, (R- Sarasota) and HB 1169 Coordinated Systems of Care for Children by Representative Mike Redondo, (R- Miami) were presented in the House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee.  In the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee Representative Berny Jacques, (R-Clearwater) presented HB 1181 Juvenile Justice, where it passed its second committee stop. Monday also saw HB 415 Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Website by Representative Berny Jacques, (R-Clearwater) and HB 1609 Pregnancy Support Services by Representative Cyndi Stevenson (R- St. Augustine) pass in the House Healthcare Appropriations Subcommittee.

 

On Tuesday, January 30th, SB 1596 Employment of Minors by Senator Danny Burgess, (R- Zephyrhills) was introduced in the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism. In the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Senator Jonathon Martin, (R- Ft. Myers) introduced SB 1274 Juvenile Justice and Senator Jennifer Bradley, (R- Fleming Island) introduced SB 1352 Juvenile Justice, where both passed favorably. Additionally, SB 274 Child Water Safety Requirements by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, (R- Doral) passed favorably in the Senate Committee on Health Policy. In the Senate Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Senator Colleen Burton, (R- Lakeland) introduced SB 1224 Dependent Children where it passed unanimously and finally in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Representative Paula Stark, (R- Kissimmee) introduced HB 829 Autism Spectrum Disorder Training for Law Enforcement Officers.

 

On Wednesday, January 31st, the Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy passed SB 544 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program by Senator Travis Hutson, (R- Palm Coast), this marks the last committee stop before the bill is calendared for the Senate floor.

 

On Thursday, February 1st, HB 1353 Early Learning by Representative John Snyder, (R- Palm City) was introduced in the House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee and HB 499 Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings by Representative Lauren Melo, (R- Naples) was introduced in the House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee. Rounding out the week HB 49 Employment and Curfew of Minors, by Representative Linda Chaney, (R- Pinellas) passed off the House floor and is now on its way to the Senate.

 

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


Until next time!


Sincerely,


The Florida Alliance of Children's Councils & Trusts


Healthy Development

HB 415 - Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Website

Rep. Jacques

❶❷

SB 436 - Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Website

Sen. Grall

❷❸


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.

HB 1609 - Pregnancy Support Services

Rep. Stevenson

❶❷

SB 1442- Pregnancy Support Services

Sen. Grall

❶❷❸


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

HB 207 - Social Media Protection for Minors

Rep. Rayner

❶❷


HB 1 - Social Media Use for Minors

Rep. Sirois

❶❷


HB 3 - Online Access to Materials Harmful to Minors

Rep. Tramont

❶❷

SB 454 - Protection of Minors on Social Media Platforms

Sen. Garcia

❶❷❸


SB 1430 - Social Media Protection for Minors

Sen. Book

❶❷❸


SB 1788 - Age Verification for Social Media Accounts

Sen. Grall

❶❷


SB 1792 - Online Access to Materials Harmful to Minors

Sen. Grall

❶❷

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.

HB 1129 - Harm to Minors

Rep. Salzman

❶❷❸

SB 1196 - Harm to Minors

Sen. Ingoglia

❶❷❸

These identical bills increase and add criminal penalties for individuals who engage in sexually explicit online conversations with minors, and provide special protections for victims under 18 years of age. The bills also establish required guidelines and password filters for manufacturers of tablets and smartphones.

HB 499 - Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings

Rep. Melo

❷❸

SB 168 - Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings

Sen. Polsky

❷❸


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.

HB 147 - Financial Assistance for Mental Health Professionals

Rep. Cassel

❶❷❸

SB 164 - Solutions for Mental Health Professional Shortages

Sen. Polsky

❶❷❸


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

Early Learning

SB 596 - Child Care Facility Safety Measures

Sen. Garcia

❶❷❸

This bill requires child care facilities to place video recording equipment in designated areas. The bill also requires child care facility personnel to receive and maintain first aid and CPR certification.

HB 541 - Safety of Child Care Facilities

Rep. Williams

❶❷❸

SB 1562 - Safety of Child Care Facilities

Sen. Powell

❶❷❸

These similar bills require law enforcement agencies to notify child care facilities of certain incidents at nearby schools.

HB 1353 - Early Learning

Rep. Snyder

❷❸

SB 1026 - Early Learning

Sen. Grall

❷❸

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.

HB 1437 - Child Care Services

Rep. Valdes

❶❷❸

SB 120 - Provisional Child Care Licensing

Sen. Stewart

❶❷❸

These identical bills require 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.

HB 847 - School Readiness Program

Rep. Bartleman

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SB 1400 - School Readiness Program

Sen. Jones

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

HB 427 - Instructional Hours for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Rep. Nixon

❶❷❸

SB 294 - Instructional Hours for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Sen. Davis

❶❷❸


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.

HB 635 - Child Care and Early Learning Providers

Rep. McFarland

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SB 820 - Child Care and Early Learning Providers

Sen. Grall

❷❸


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.

HB 929 - School Readiness Program

Rep. Trabulsy

❶❷

SB 916 - School Readiness Program

Sen. Calatayud

❷❸


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.

HB 361 - School Readiness Program

Rep. Gantt

❶❷❸

SB 342 - School Readiness Program

Sen. Jones

❶❷❸


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

K-12 Education

HB 477 - Universal Free School Breakfast and Lunch Program

Rep. Tant

❶❷❸

SB 300 - Universal Free School Breakfast and Lunch Program

Sen. Berman

❶❷❸

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

HB 1067 - Postsecondary Students Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness

Rep. Woodson

❶❷❸

SB 1308 - Postsecondary Students Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness

Sen. Calatayud

❶❷❸

These identical bills create a liaison in the school system to provide information on tuition exemptions for foster care and youth facing homelessness. The bills establish a Fostering Independence Grant Program to cover all tuition costs and create reporting requirements to the Department of Education.

HB 1169 - Coordinated Systems of Care for Children

Rep. Redondo

❶❷❸

SB 1340 - Coordinated Systems of Care for Children

Sen. Harrell

❶❷❸

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

SB 7000 - Deregulation of Public Schools/Instructional, Administrative, and Support Personnel

Education Pre K-12 Committee

❶❷

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

SB 7002 - Deregulation of Public Schools/School District Finance and Budgets, Facilities, and Administration and Oversight

Education Pre K-12 Committee

❶❷

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

SB 7004 - Deregulation of Public Schools/Assessment and Accountability, Instruction, and Education Choice

Education Pre K-12 Committee

❶❷

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

Children with Disabilities

HB 829 - Autism Spectrum Training for Law Enforcement Officers

Rep. Stark

❷❸

SB 864 - Autism Spectrum Training for Law Enforcement Officers

Sen. Collins

❷❸


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

Out of School Time

HB 49 - Employment and Curfew of Minors

Rep. Chaney

❶❷❸

SB 1596 - Employment of Minors

Sen. Burgess

❷❸

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

HB 185 - Dependent Children

Rep. Trabulsy

❷❸

SB 1224 - Dependent Children

Sen. Burton

❷❸

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.

HB 555 - Child Protection Teams

Rep. Stevenson

❶❷❸

SB 214 - Child Protection Teams

Sen. Harrell

❶❷


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

HB 1083 - Permanency for Children

Rep. Trabulsy

❷❸

SB 1486 - Child Permanency

Sen. Collins

❷❸


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.

HB 1061 - Community -Based Child Welfare Agencies

Rep. McFarland

❷❸

SB 536 - Community-Based Child Welfare Agencies

Sen. Garcia

❷❸

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

HB 123 - Child Water Safety Requirements

Rep. Chambliss

❶❷

SB 274 - Child Water Safety Requirements

Sen. Rodriguez

❷❸


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

HB 581 - Swimming Lesson Voucher Program

Rep. Busatta Cabrera

❷❸

SB 544 - Swimming Lesson Voucher Program

Sen. Hutson

❶❷❸


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

HB 1181 - Juvenile Justice

Rep. Jacques

❶❷

SB 1274 - Juvenile Justice

Sen. Martin


These identical bills revise penalties for minors committing firearms violations.

HB 417 - Educational Services in Department of Juvenile Justice Programs

Rep. Lopez

❷❸

SB 1266 - Educational Services in Department of Juvenile Justice Programs

Sen. Stewart

❶❷❸


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.

HB 97 - Expunction of Criminal History Records

Rep. Smith

❶❷

SB 54 - Expunction of Criminal History Records

Sen. Rodriguez


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

Economic Self-Sufficiency

HB 1267 - Economic Self-Sufficiency

Rep. Anderson

❷❸


This bill revises various components of the TANF, SNAP, and School Readiness program to address benefits cliffs.

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