The Florida Senate

CS/HB 173 — Department of Juvenile Justice

by Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Rep. Pilon and others (CS/SB 504 by Criminal Justice Committee and Senators Evers and Joyner)

This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.

Prepared by: Criminal Justice Committee (CJ)

The bill authorizes the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to develop or contract for mother-infant programs within its continuum of care. The bill also defines a “mother-infant program” as a residential program designed to serve the needs of juvenile mothers or expectant juvenile mothers who are committed as delinquents. A mother-infant program must be licensed as a childcare facility under s. 402.308, F.S.

The bill also amends s. 985.601, F.S., to allow the DJJ to pay up to $5,000 toward basic funeral expenses for a youth who dies in the department’s custody, if the parents or guardians are indigent and unable to pay and there is no other funding source available to pay these expenses. The decision to pay funeral expenses will be made at the discretion of the secretary of the department.

Finally, the bill deletes provisions in numerous sections in chapters 984 and 985, F.S., which reference serious or habitual juvenile offenders and the serious or habitual juvenile offender programs. This change conforms the statutes to repeals made by legislation passed during the 2011 Legislative Session.

If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2012.

Vote: Senate 38-0; House 116-0