Senate Bill 2014c1

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2014

    By the Committee on Commerce and Economic Opportunities and
    Senator Bankhead




    310-1934-98

  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 and the Department

  8         of Labor and Employment Security; providing for

  9         a relocation plan and for monitoring of the

10         relocation; requiring agreements restricting

11         application for temporary cash assistance for a

12         specified period; providing exceptions;

13         requiring repayment of temporary cash

14         assistance provided under certain

15         circumstances, and reduced eligibility for

16         future assistance; providing rulemaking

17         authority for the Department of Children and

18         Family Services and the Department of Labor and

19         Employment Security; providing legislative

20         intent with respect to encouraging the

21         employment of participants in the WAGES

22         Program; requiring the Office of Tourism,

23         Trade, and Economic Development to certify to

24         the President of the Senate and the Speaker of

25         the House of Representatives the amount of

26         taxes and the economic benefit generated by the

27         restaurant industry from employing WAGES

28         participants and to add that amount to the

29         total amount of certain beverage taxes and

30         penalties paid during a specified calendar

31         year; providing for the repeal of s. 561.501,

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2014
    310-1934-98




  1         F.S., relating to the surcharge on the sale of

  2         alcoholic beverages, if the total amount of the

  3         surcharge exceeds a specified figure; providing

  4         an effective date.

  5

  6  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  7

  8         Section 1.  Section 414.155, Florida Statutes, is

  9  created to read:

10         414.155  Relocation assistance program.--

11         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that the need for

12  public assistance may arise because a family is located in an

13  area with limited employment opportunities, because of

14  geographic isolation, because of formidable transportation

15  barriers, because of isolation from their extended family, or

16  because domestic violence interferes with the ability of a

17  parent to maintain self-sufficiency.  Accordingly there is

18  established a program to assist families in relocating to

19  communities with greater opportunities for self-sufficiency.

20         (2)  The relocation assistance program shall involve

21  five steps by the Department of Children and Family Services

22  and the Department of Labor and Employment Security:

23         (a)  A determination that the family is a WAGES Program

24  participant or that all requirements of eligibility for the

25  WAGES Program would likely be met.

26         (b)  A determination that there is a basis for

27  believing that relocation will contribute to the ability of

28  the applicant to achieve self-sufficiency. For example, the

29  applicant:

30         1.  Is unlikely to achieve independence at the current

31  community of residence;

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2014
    310-1934-98




  1         2.  Has secured a job that requires relocation to

  2  another community;

  3         3.  Has a family support network in another community;

  4  or

  5         4.  Is determined pursuant to criteria or procedures

  6  established by the WAGES Program State Board of Directors to

  7  be a victim of domestic violence who would experience reduced

  8  probability of further incidents through relocation.

  9         (c)  Establishment of a relocation plan, including a

10  budget and such requirements as are necessary to prevent abuse

11  of the benefit and to provide an assurance that the applicant

12  will relocate. The plan may require that expenditures be made

13  on behalf of the recipient; however, the plan must include

14  provisions to protect the safety of victims of domestic

15  violence and avoid provisions that place them in anticipated

16  danger. The payment to defray relocation expenses shall be

17  limited to an amount not to exceed 4 months' temporary cash

18  assistance, based on family size, and will not count towards

19  the time limitations stated in s. 414.105. The Department of

20  Children and Family Services may adopt rules necessary to

21  administer this section.

22         (d)  A determination, pursuant to criteria adopted by

23  the WAGES Program State Board of Directors, that a Florida

24  community receiving a relocated family has the capacity to

25  provide needed services and employment opportunities. The

26  Department of Labor and Employment Security may adopt rules

27  necessary to establish criteria to be used by the WAGES

28  Program State Board of Directors in administering this

29  paragraph.

30         (e)  Monitoring the relocation.

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2014
    310-1934-98




  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. The

11  Department of Children and Family Services may adopt rules

12  necessary to administer this section.

13         Section 2.  The Legislature recognizes that the

14  restaurant industry is uniquely qualified to provide

15  employment opportunities for a significant number of WAGES

16  participants. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature

17  to encourage employment of WAGES participants by the

18  restaurant industry. By March 1, 1999, the Office of Tourism,

19  Trade, and Economic Development shall certify to the President

20  of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives

21  the amount of taxes and the dollar value of economic benefits

22  generated by the restaurant industry from the employment of

23  participants in the WAGES Program during the 1998 calendar

24  year. The total of the amount of taxes and the dollar value of

25  economic benefits reported to the President of the Senate and

26  the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be added to

27  the amount of taxes paid during the 1998 calendar year under

28  sections 563.05, 564.06, and 565.12, Florida Statutes, and

29  payments made to the state under section 561.54, Florida

30  Statutes. If the total of these amounts is greater than $535

31

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2014
    310-1934-98




  1  million, effective July 1, 1999, section 561.501, Florida

  2  Statutes, is repealed.

  3         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1 of the

  4  year in which enacted.

  5

  6          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  7                         Senate Bill 2014

  8

  9  The committee substitute provides:

10  --   That the Department of Labor and Employment Security will
         assist the Department of Children and Family Services in
11       developing the five step plan;

12  --   That the determination of whether a victim of domestic
         violence would experience a reduced probability of
13       further incidences upon relocation will be subject to
         criteria or procedures established by the State WAGES
14       Board;

15  --   That the relocation plan may require that expenditures be
         made on behalf of the recipient and that the plan for
16       victims of domestic violence must include provisions to
         protect the safety of the victim;
17
    --   That the relocation assistance payment will not count
18       toward the time limitations provided under the WAGES
         Program; and
19
    --   That the Department of Children and Family Services and
20       Department of Labor and Employment Security have proper
         rulemaking authority.
21
    This committee substitute requires that the Office of Tourism,
22  Trade, and Economic Development certify to the Legislature the
    amount of taxes and the economic benefits generated by the
23  restaurant industry from employing participants in the WAGES
    program and add that amount to the total amount of certain
24  beverage taxes and penalties paid during the 1998 calendar
    year. The committee substitute also provides that if the total
25  amount exceeds $535 million, the surcharge on the sale of
    alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises is
26  repealed effective July 1, 1999.

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