Senate Bill 2226
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 2226
By Senator Silver
38-1084-00
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to certified domestic violence
3 centers; providing for the capital improvement
4 of such centers; creating a grant program for
5 awarding funds to such centers; providing
6 application requirements; prescribing uses of
7 the funds; providing duties of the Department
8 of Children and Family Services; providing
9 rulemaking authority for the establishment of
10 criteria for the disbursement of funds;
11 providing an effective date.
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13 WHEREAS, domestic violence remains one of the leading
14 social problems in this state, and
15 WHEREAS, Florida has led the nation in legislative
16 efforts to reduce domestic violence, and victims are coming
17 forward in record numbers to seek help, and
18 WHEREAS, the state's responses to domestic violence
19 include the services provided by the state's certified
20 domestic violence centers, which provide mandated services
21 including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, case
22 management information and referral, assessment of resident
23 children, and community education and professional training,
24 and
25 WHEREAS, these services are designed to interrupt the
26 cycle of violence by enhancing the safety and self-sufficiency
27 of victims of domestic violence, and
28 WHEREAS, emergency shelter is particularly critical,
29 since the period of separation brings with it escalating risk
30 of homicide, and
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Florida Senate - 2000 SB 2226
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1 WHEREAS, many of the domestic violence centers in this
2 state are in need of renovation and repair, and others are
3 inadequate beyond repair, making it necessary for the center
4 to build or purchase a new facility, and
5 WHEREAS, since the ever-increasing demand for services
6 has prevented certified domestic violence centers from using
7 already scarce resources to meet capital needs, there is a
8 prevalent need for a funding process to address the growing
9 needs of the centers, NOW, THEREFORE,
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11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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13 Section 1. Certified domestic violence centers;
14 capital improvement grant program.--There is established a
15 certified domestic violence center capital improvement grant
16 program.
17 (1) A certified domestic violence center as defined in
18 section 39.905, Florida Statutes, may apply to the Department
19 of Children and Family Services for a capital improvement
20 grant. The grant application must provide information that
21 includes:
22 (a) A statement specifying the capital improvement
23 that the certified domestic violence center proposes to make
24 with the grant funds.
25 (b) The proposed strategy for making the capital
26 improvement.
27 (c) The organizational structure that will carry out
28 the capital improvement.
29 (d) Evidence that the certified domestic violence
30 center has difficulty in obtaining funding or that funds
31 available for the proposed improvement are inadequate.
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Florida Senate - 2000 SB 2226
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1 (e) Evidence that the funds will assist in meeting the
2 needs of victims of domestic violence and their children in
3 the certified domestic violence center service area.
4 (f) Evidence of a satisfactory recordkeeping system to
5 account for fund expenditures.
6 (g) Evidence of ability to generate local match.
7 (2) Certified domestic violence centers as defined in
8 section 39.905, Florida Statutes, may receive funding subject
9 to legislative appropriation, upon application to the
10 Department of Children and Family Services, for projects to
11 construct, acquire, repair, improve, or upgrade systems,
12 facilities, or equipment, subject to availability of funds. An
13 award of funds under this section must be made in accordance
14 with a needs assessment developed by the Florida Coalition
15 Against Domestic Violence and the Department of Children and
16 Family Services. The department annually shall perform this
17 needs assessment and shall rank in order of need those centers
18 that are requesting funds for capital improvement.
19 (3) The Department of Children and Family Services
20 shall establish criteria for awarding any remaining funds,
21 which must be used exclusively for the support and assistance
22 of certified domestic violence centers as defined in section
23 39.905, Florida Statutes.
24 (4) The Department of Children and Family Services
25 shall ensure that the funds awarded under this section are
26 used solely for the purposes specified in this section. The
27 total amount of grant moneys awarded under this section may
28 not exceed the amount appropriated for this program.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
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Florida Senate - 2000 SB 2226
38-1084-00
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Creates a grant program for disbursing funds to provide
for the capital improvement of certified domestic
4 violence centers. Provides requirements for applications.
Provides duties of the Department of Children and Family
5 Services and the Florida Coalition Against Domestic
Violence. Provides rulemaking authority to the
6 department. Provides restrictions on uses of the grant
funds.
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