The Florida Senate

753.001  Definitions.

753.002  Florida Family Visitation Network.

753.003  Florida Family Visitation Task Force.

753.004  Supervised visitation projects.

753.001  Definitions.--As used in ss. 753.001-753.004:

(1)  A "supervised visitation program" exists where there is contact between a noncustodial parent and one or more children in the presence of a third person responsible for observing and ensuring the safety of those involved. Supervised visitation programs may also include exchange monitoring of children who are participating in court-ordered visitation programs or exchange monitoring where there has been mutual consent between parties for the purposes of facilitating a visitation.

(2)  "Exchange monitoring" means supervision of movement of a child from the custodial to the noncustodial parent at the start of the visit and back to the custodial parent at the end of the visit.

This section shall take effect July 1, 1996.

History.--s. 10, ch. 96-402.

753.002  Florida Family Visitation Network.--There is hereby created the Florida Family Visitation Network, which shall have the following responsibilities subject to the availability of resources:

(1)  To serve as a clearinghouse on resources and research of supervised visitation programs.

(2)  To provide technical assistance and other support services to existing and emerging supervised visitation programs.

(3)  To compile a directory of state-supervised visitation programs containing referral information.

(4)  To formulate a newsletter for supervised visitation programs.

(5)  To organize workshops and conferences which address issues and concerns of supervised visitation programs.

(6)  To have the authority to apply for grants and accept private contributions.

(7)  To compile data on the use of supervised visitation programs.

This section shall take effect July 1, 1996.

History.--s. 11, ch. 96-402.

753.003  Florida Family Visitation Task Force.--

(1)  There is hereby created the Florida Family Visitation Task Force. The task force shall act as the governing body of the Florida Family Visitation Network for 1 year. In doing so, it shall have the duty of carrying out the responsibilities listed in s. 753.002. It shall also:

(a)  Develop the network of supervised visitation programs created in s. 753.002 and encourage the membership of persons and entities interested in the establishment and operation of these programs.

(b)  Create bylaws which shall include, but not be limited to, establishing membership criteria and dues, and a permanent governing board for the Florida Family Visitation Network.

(c)  Serve as an advisory board for the visitation projects of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida, established in s. 753.004.

(d)  Develop an evaluation instrument that may be used by supervised visitation programs and should be used for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' visitation projects. This evaluation must include, but is not limited to, the following components:

1.  The duration that each family used the supervised visitation program.

2.  Whether child support payments were being made by the noncustodial parent before, during, and after the time of service.

3.  The impact the supervised visitation programs had on families, such as reunification, termination of parental rights, and continued visitation.

4.  The cost per family served by the supervised visitation programs.

(e)  Prepare a report with recommendations concerning the development of a continuing and expanding network of supervised visitation programs and recommendations concerning the visitation projects of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leaders of both houses, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Governor, no later than February 1, 1997.

(2)  Membership on the Florida Family Visitation Task Force is voluntary. Membership shall be offered to each of the following:

(a)  One representative from each established state-supervised visitation program as of the effective date of this act, appointed by the executive director or chief administrator of each program.

(b)  One representative from the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, appointed by the Secretary of ¹Health and Rehabilitative Services.

(c)  One family court judge, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

(d)  One representative of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, appointed by the Executive Director.

(e)  One representative of the Guardian ad Litem Program, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

(f)  Two representatives of law enforcement, one appointed by the President of the Police Chief's Association and one by the Executive Director of the Florida Sheriff's Association.

(g)  One representative of the family law section of The Florida Bar, appointed by the President of The Florida Bar.

(h)  One representative from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida, appointed by the chief administrator of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

(i)  One representative of the State Public Affairs Committee of the Junior League of Florida, appointed by the chairperson of that committee.

(3)  Subject to the availability of funds, staffing and technical assistance to the Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall be provided by the Institute for Family Violence Studies at Florida State University to carry out the responsibilities under s. 753.002.

(4)  Members of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall serve for a 1-year term to begin 30 days after the effective date of this section.

(5)  Members of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall serve without compensation, but shall receive per diem and travel expenses to the extent that resources will permit. Members who are employees of state agencies shall receive the per diem and travel expenses from the budgets of their agencies to the extent that their budgets will permit. Members who are not employees of state agencies shall receive per diem and travel expenses from the budget of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force to the extent that resources will permit.

(6)  Members of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force should be offered appointment within 30 days after the effective date of this section. The Florida Family Visitation Task Force may appoint subcommittees that include persons who are knowledgeable in a subject area but are not members of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force and may not vote as such.

(7)  The Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall hold its first meeting within 30 days after the appointments are made.

(8)  This section shall take effect July 1, 1996.

History.--s. 12, ch. 96-402.

¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.

753.004  Supervised visitation projects.--Within its existing resources, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida may establish supervised visitation projects in communities throughout the state.

(1)  It is the intent of the Legislature to coordinate the efforts of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the Florida Family Visitation Network as follows:

(a)  The Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall act as the board of advisers for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences projects.

(b)  The Florida Family Visitation Task Force shall develop and administer in collaboration with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida an evaluation instrument as outlined in s. 753.003 and include the results of that instrument in the report required of the Florida Family Visitation Task Force by s. 753.003.

(c)  The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida shall take an active role in developing and providing relevant educational activities as a means of strengthening parenting skills.

(2)  Any community participating in a visitation project supervised by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences shall provide a local match of $15,000, exclusive of existing county extension funds, to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and $2,000 to the Institute for Family Violence Studies at Florida State University to carry out the responsibilities under s. 753.002. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has discretion to waive all or part of their portion of the local match.

(3)  A supervised visitation project must be approved by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the project is located if a county-owned facility is used as a visitation site or personnel paid by the county participate in the supervised visitation program.

(4)  This section shall take effect July 1, 1996.

History.--s. 13, ch. 96-402.