Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1656
By Senator Stewart
17-01532-23 20231656__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to financial aid for female victims of
3 rape, incest, domestic violence, or human trafficking;
4 amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; providing that certain low
5 income, female students who are pregnant as a result
6 of rape, incest, domestic violence, or human
7 trafficking and who decide to carry the pregnancy to
8 term are exempt from paying specified postsecondary
9 tuition and fees; authorizing the State Board of
10 Education and the Board of Governors to adopt rules
11 and regulations, respectively; creating s. 1009.8963,
12 F.S.; establishing the Academic Success of Pregnant
13 Female Students Who Are Victims of Sexual Abuse Grant
14 Program within the Department of Education; providing
15 the purpose of the program; providing student
16 eligibility requirements; providing for program
17 funding and the disbursement of awards; authorizing
18 the State Board of Education to adopt rules; providing
19 an effective date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (1) of
24 section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, to read:
25 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
26 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
27 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
28 provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
29 institution, or state university:
30 (h) Beginning with a female student who has a conception
31 date of January 1, 2023, or thereafter, a female student who is
32 pregnant as a result of rape, incest, domestic violence, or
33 human trafficking, who decides to carry the pregnancy to term,
34 and whose household income level does not exceed 185 percent of
35 the federal poverty level. The State Board of Education may
36 adopt rules and the Board of Governors may adopt regulations
37 regarding documentation and procedures to implement this
38 paragraph.
39 Section 2. Section 1009.8963, Florida Statutes, is created
40 to read:
41 1009.8963 The Academic Success of Pregnant Female Students
42 Who Are Victims of Sexual Abuse Grant Program.—There is
43 established within the Department of Education the Academic
44 Success of Pregnant Female Students Who Are Victims of Sexual
45 Abuse Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to provide
46 funds for child care for low-income, female students who are
47 pregnant as a result of rape, incest, domestic violence, or
48 human trafficking and who decide to carry the pregnancy to term.
49 (1) A student is eligible for the program if she:
50 (a) Is pregnant as a result of rape, incest, domestic
51 violence, or human trafficking; has a conception date of January
52 1, 2023, or thereafter; and decides to carry the pregnancy to
53 term.
54 (b) Has a household income level that does not exceed 185
55 percent of the federal poverty level.
56 (c) Is a Florida resident as described in s. 1009.40 and
57 rules of the State Board of Education.
58 (d) Is enrolled at a school district career center, charter
59 career technical center, Florida College System institution, or
60 state university.
61 (2)(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, the department
62 shall award grants to eligible students on a first-come, first
63 served basis.
64 (b) The amount of a grant award shall be the average cost
65 of a child care provider that holds a Gold Seal Quality Care
66 designation under s. 1002.945 for the county in which the
67 eligible student resides.
68 (c) The department shall disburse grant awards to eligible
69 students at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.
70 (3) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
71 implement this section.
72 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.