Senate Bill 2014
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 2014
By Senator Bankhead
8-1369-98 See HB
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the WAGES Program; creating
3 s. 414.155, F.S.; providing a relocation
4 assistance program for families receiving or
5 eligible to receive WAGES Program assistance;
6 providing responsibilities of the Department of
7 Children and Family Services; providing for a
8 relocation plan and for monitoring of the
9 relocation; requiring agreements restricting
10 application for temporary cash assistance for a
11 specified period; providing exceptions;
12 requiring repayment of temporary cash
13 assistance provided under certain
14 circumstances, and reduced eligibility for
15 future assistance; providing an effective date.
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17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Section 414.155, Florida Statutes, is
20 created to read:
21 414.155 Relocation assistance program.--
22 (1) The Legislature recognizes that the need for
23 public assistance may arise because a family is located in an
24 area with limited employment opportunities, because of
25 geographic isolation, because of formidable transportation
26 barriers, because of isolation from their extended family, or
27 because domestic violence interferes with the ability of a
28 parent to maintain self-sufficiency. Accordingly there is
29 established a program to assist families in relocating to
30 communities with greater opportunities for self-sufficiency.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 2014
8-1369-98 See HB
1 (2) The relocation assistance program shall involve
2 five steps by the Department of Children and Family Services:
3 (a) A determination by the department that the family
4 is a WAGES Program participant or that all requirements of
5 eligibility for the WAGES Program would likely be met.
6 (b) A determination that there is a basis for
7 believing that relocation will contribute to the ability of
8 the applicant to achieve self-sufficiency. For example, the
9 applicant:
10 1. Is unlikely to achieve independence at the current
11 community of residence;
12 2. Has secured a job that requires relocation to
13 another community;
14 3. Has a family support network in another community;
15 or
16 4. Is a victim of domestic violence who would
17 experience reduced probability of further incidents through
18 relocation.
19 (c) Establishment of a relocation plan, including a
20 budget and such requirements as are necessary to prevent abuse
21 of the benefit and to provide an assurance that the applicant
22 will relocate, which includes making expenditures on behalf of
23 the applicant. The payment to defray relocation expenses
24 shall be limited to an amount not to exceed 4 months'
25 temporary cash assistance, based on family size.
26 (d) A determination, pursuant to criteria adopted by
27 the WAGES Program State Board of Directors, that a Florida
28 community receiving a relocated family has the capacity to
29 provide needed services and employment opportunities.
30 (e) Monitoring the relocation.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 2014
8-1369-98 See HB
1 (3) A family receiving relocation assistance for
2 reasons other than domestic violence must sign an agreement
3 restricting the family from applying for temporary cash
4 assistance for 6 months, unless an emergency is demonstrated
5 to the department. If a demonstrated emergency forces the
6 family to reapply for temporary cash assistance within 6
7 months after receiving a relocation assistance payment,
8 repayment must be made on a prorated basis over an 8-month
9 period and subtracted from any regular payment of temporary
10 cash assistance for which the applicant may be eligible.
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1 of the
12 year in which enacted.
13
14 *****************************************
15 HOUSE SUMMARY
16
Provides a relocation assistance program for families
17 receiving or eligible to receive assistance under the
WAGES Program. Provides responsibility of the Department
18 of Children and Family Services to determine who is
eligible for and will benefit from the program, to
19 establish a relocation plan, to determine the capacity of
the receiving community to provide services and
20 employment opportunities, and to monitor the relocation.
Requires recipients of relocation assistance, except
21 families relocating because of domestic violence, to sign
an agreement restricting applications for temporary cash
22 assistance for 6 months. Provides requirements for
repayment and for reduced eligibility for future
23 assistance when emergency applications for temporary cash
assistance are made during this 6-month period.
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