Capitol Connection

October 2023

Welcome back to Capitol Connection! Since the 2024 Annual Legislative Session begins on January 9, 2024, legislative committee weeks began during the month of October. This edition will provide a wrap-up of Florida’s legislative committee weeks that took place throughout the month. As committees met there were presentations by agencies and stakeholders. Presentations centered around legislative budget requests or topics of interest to legislative committees. A list of all legislative committees for the Florida House of Representatives may be found here. A list of all legislative committees for the Florida Senate may be found here.


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


House Committee Presentations:

10/17/23 House Education Quality Subcommittee

10/18/23 House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee

10/19/23 House Health & Human Services Committee


Senate Committee Presentations:

10/10/23 Senate Committee on Education Prek-12

10/11/23 Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

10/18/23 Senate Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs


Additionally, a number of bills have already been filed for the 2024 legislative session and we have begun adding them to the tracker below.


Finally, beginning Monday, November 6th through Thursday, November 9th the legislature will convene a special session. Please see the Joint Proclamation here.


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.

  

Until next time!

 

Sincerely,

 

The Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils & Trusts


Healthy Development

HB 207 - Social Media Protection for Minors

Rep. Rayner

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This bill requires social media platforms to disclose specified information, resources, measures, and disclaimers and prohibit certain schools from requiring students to register, enroll, or participate in social media.

SB 168 - Congenital Cytomegalovirus Screenings

Sen. Polsky

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This bill requires hospitals to administer congenital cytomegalovirus screenings on newborns admitted to the hospital under specific circumstances. The bill provides for Medicaid coverage for screening, management, treatment, and follow-up services.

HB 147 - Financial Assistance for Mental Health Professionals

Rep. Cassel

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SB 164 - Solutions for Mental Health Professional Shortages

Sen. Polsky

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

Early Learning

SB 120 - Provisional Child Care Licensing

Sen. Stewart

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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.

Child Protection

HB 185 - Dependent Children

Rep. Trabulsy

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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.

SB 214 - Child Protection Teams

Sen. Harrell

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This bill expands the types of reports that the Department of Children and Families must refer to Child Protective Teams.

HB 123 - Child Water Safety Requirements

Rep. Chambliss

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SB 274 - Child Water Safety Requirements

Sen. Rodriguez

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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.
Juvenile Justice

HB 97 - Expunction of Criminal History Records

Rep. Smith

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SB 54 - Expunction of Criminal History Records

Sen. Rodriguez

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

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