CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 2524, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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10                                                                

11  Senator Bankhead moved the following amendment:

12

13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 58 between lines 17 and 18

15

16  insert:

17         Section 36.  Section 414.155, Florida Statutes, is

18  created to read:

19         414.155  Relocation assistance program.--

20         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that the need for

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

22  area with limited employment opportunities, because of

23  geographic isolation, because of formidable transportation

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

25  because domestic violence interferes with the ability of a

26  parent to maintain self-sufficiency.  Accordingly there is

27  established a voluntary program to assist families in

28  relocating to communities with greater opportunities for

29  self-sufficiency.

30         (2)  The relocation assistance program shall involve

31  five steps by the Department of Children and Family Services

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 2524, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  and the Department of Labor and Employment Security:

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

 3  participant or that all requirements of eligibility for the

 4  WAGES Program would likely be met.

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

 6  believing that relocation will contribute to the ability of

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

 8  applicant:

 9         1.  Is unlikely to achieve independence at the current

10  community of residence;

11         2.  Has secured a job that requires relocation to

12  another community;

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

14  or

15         4.  Is determined pursuant to criteria or procedures

16  established by the WAGES Program State Board of Directors to

17  be a victim of domestic violence who would experience reduced

18  probability of further incidents through 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. The plan may require that expenditures be made

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

24  provisions to protect the safety of victims of domestic

25  violence and avoid provisions that place them in anticipated

26  danger. The payment to defray relocation expenses shall be

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

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

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

30  Children and Family Services may adopt rules necessary to

31  administer this section.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 2524, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.    





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

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

 3  community receiving a relocated family has the capacity to

 4  provide needed services and employment opportunities. The

 5  Department of Labor and Employment Security may adopt rules

 6  necessary to establish criteria to be used by the WAGES

 7  Program State Board of Directors in administering this

 8  paragraph.

 9         (e)  Monitoring the relocation.

10         (3)  A family receiving relocation assistance for

11  reasons other than domestic violence must sign an agreement

12  restricting the family from applying for temporary cash

13  assistance for 6 months, unless an emergency is demonstrated

14  to the department.  If a demonstrated emergency forces the

15  family to reapply for temporary cash assistance within 6

16  months after receiving a relocation assistance payment,

17  repayment must be made on a prorated basis over an 8-month

18  period and subtracted from any regular payment of temporary

19  cash assistance for which the applicant may be eligible. The

20  Department of Children and Family Services may adopt rules

21  necessary to administer this section.

22         (4)  Nothing herein shall be construed to allow any

23  WAGES Coalition or state agency to require relocation of a

24  WAGES participant for the purposes of this section or any

25  other.

26         (5)  When the relocation plan for a WAGES participant

27  involves relocating the participant within the state, the plan

28  must be approved by the local WAGES coalition in the district

29  from which the participant is moving and the local WAGES

30  coalition in the district to which the participant is moving

31  before the effective date of the move.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 2524, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1

 2  [Renumber subsequent section(s).]

 3

 4

 5  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

 6  And the title is amended as follows:

 7         On page 5, line 10, after the semicolon

 8

 9  insert:

10  creating s. 414.155, F.S.; providing a relocation assistance

11  program for families receiving or eligible to receive WAGES

12  Program assistance; providing responsibilities of the

13  Department of Children and Family Services and the Department

14  of Labor and Employment Security; providing for a relocation

15  plan and for monitoring of the relocation; requiring

16  agreements restricting application for temporary cash

17  assistance for a specified period; providing exceptions;

18  requiring repayment of temporary cash assistance provided

19  under certain circumstances, and reduced eligibility for

20  future assistance; providing rulemaking authority for the

21  Department of Children and Family Services and the Department

22  of Labor and Employment Security; prescribing that the

23  relocation assistance program shall not be construed to

24  require relocation of a WAGES participant; requiring approval

25  of the relocation plan of a WAGES participant;

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