Senate Bill 2444

    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2444

    By Senator Holzendorf





    2-1584-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to workforce preparation;

  3         creating the Learning and Earning for Parents

  4         (LEAP) Program, to be administered by the

  5         Department of Education; providing purposes;

  6         providing for eligibility; providing for the

  7         amount of benefits; providing an effective

  8         date.

  9

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

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12         Section 1.  Learning and Earning for Parents (LEAP)

13  Program; creation; purposes; eligibility; benefits.--

14         (1)  There is created the Learning and Earning for

15  Parents (LEAP) Program, to be administered by the Department

16  of Education. The LEAP program shall provide education,

17  training, and work experience for low-income parents, to

18  provide a trained and educated workforce for employers in this

19  state and to enable parents to obtain jobs that will support

20  their families.

21         (2)(a)  A parent is eligible for the LEAP program if:

22         1.  The parent has one or more dependent children;

23         2.  The total family income is below the federal

24  poverty level; and

25         3.  The parent is enrolled in a recognized job training

26  or education program for at least 20 hours per week or in an

27  accredited postsecondary program at a level not beyond the

28  4-year college level for at least 12 hours per week.

29         (b)  To maintain eligibility once enrolled in LEAP, the

30  parent must work for up to 20 hours per week in work-study,

31  other paid work, or a combination of work-study and other paid

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2444
    2-1584-00




  1  work, and must be making satisfactory progress as determined

  2  by the department by rule.

  3         (3)  Subject to legislative appropriation, the LEAP

  4  program shall provide funding for work-study positions for

  5  LEAP participants, payments to bring participants' total

  6  family income, including work-study payments, to the federal

  7  poverty level, and reimbursement of up to $150 per month for

  8  each participant's transportation costs for travel to and from

  9  education, training, and work and to and from child care or

10  after-school programs. Participants shall be provided

11  subsidized child care on a sliding-scale fee basis pursuant to

12  the sliding-scale fee schedule for child care which is used by

13  the Department of Children and Family Services. The amount of

14  reimbursement for transportation and the amount of childcare

15  subsidies do not count in calculating the family income for

16  purposes of the LEAP program.

17         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

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20                          SENATE SUMMARY

21    Creates the Learning and Earning for Parents (LEAP)
      Program, to be administered by the Department of
22    Education. Provides that the purpose of the program is to
      provide education, training, and work experience for
23    low-income parents, so that they may support their
      families, and to provide a trained and educated workforce
24    for employers in this state. Provides requirements for
      initial and continuing eligibility. Sets standards for
25    benefits that are to be provided, subject to legislative
      appropriation, including cash benefits, reimbursement for
26    transportation costs, and subsidized child care.

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