Senate Bill 0686
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 686
By Senator Campbell
33-598-99 See HB
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the WAGES Program; creating
3 s. 414.035, F.S.; directing the Department of
4 Children and Family Services to implement a
5 high school education requirement for certain
6 WAGES Program participants; providing for
7 exemptions; providing for rules; amending s.
8 414.065, F.S.; conforming provisions relating
9 to existing education services and requirements
10 for program participants; providing an
11 effective date.
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13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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15 Section 1. Section 414.035, Florida Statutes, is
16 created to read:
17 414.035 WAGES high school education requirement.--The
18 department, in consultation with the Department of Education,
19 shall implement a high school education requirement for WAGES
20 Program participants who are between the ages of 19 and 55,
21 inclusive, and who have not already completed high school or
22 obtained a high school equivalency diploma. Under this
23 requirement, such participants must pursue a high school or
24 equivalency diploma while enrolled in the WAGES Program. A
25 participant who has not enrolled in a high school or high
26 school equivalency program within 18 months after enrollment
27 in the WAGES Program shall be removed from WAGES Program
28 participation. Pregnant teenagers, and hardship cases as
29 determined by the department, shall be exempt from this
30 requirement. The department is authorized to adopt rules for
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 686
33-598-99 See HB
1 the implementation of the WAGES high school education
2 requirement.
3 Section 2. Paragraphs (i) and (j) of subsection (1)
4 and paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section 414.065,
5 Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended to read:
6 414.065 Work requirements.--
7 (1) WORK ACTIVITIES.--The following activities may be
8 used individually or in combination to satisfy the work
9 requirements for a participant in the WAGES Program:
10 (i) Education services related to employment for
11 participants 18 19 years of age or younger.--Education
12 services provided under this paragraph are designed to prepare
13 a participant for employment in an occupation. The department
14 and the Department of Labor and Employment Security shall
15 coordinate education services with the school-to-work
16 activities provided under s. 229.595. Activities provided
17 under this paragraph are restricted to participants 18 19
18 years of age or younger who have not completed high school or
19 obtained a high school equivalency diploma.
20 (j) School attendance.--Attendance at a high school or
21 attendance at a program designed to prepare the participant to
22 receive a high school equivalency diploma is a required
23 program activity for each participant 18 19 years of age or
24 younger who:
25 1. Has not completed high school or obtained a high
26 school equivalency diploma;
27 2. Is a dependent child or a head of household; and
28 3. For whom it has not been determined that another
29 program activity is more appropriate.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 686
33-598-99 See HB
1 (3) EXEMPTION FROM WORK ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS.--The
2 following individuals are exempt from work activity
3 requirements:
4 (d) One custodial parent with a child under 3 months
5 of age, except that the parent may be required to attend
6 parenting classes or other activities to better prepare for
7 the responsibilities of raising a child. If the custodial
8 parent is age 18 19 or younger and has not completed high
9 school or the equivalent, he or she may be required to attend
10 school or other appropriate educational activities.
11 Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.
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14 HOUSE SUMMARY
15
Directs the Department of Children and Family Services,
16 in consultation with the Department of Education, to
implement a high school education requirement for
17 participants in the WAGES Program ages 19 to 55,
inclusive, who do not already have a high school or
18 equivalency diploma. Provides that participants who fail
to enroll in a diploma program within 18 months shall be
19 removed from the WAGES Program. Provides exemptions for
pregnant teenagers and for hardship cases as determined
20 by the department.
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