HB 1535 2003
   
1 CHAMBER ACTION
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6          The Committee on Judiciary recommends the following:
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8          Committee Substitute
9          Remove the entire bill and insert:
10 A bill to be entitled
11          An act relating to trust funds; creating the Child
12    Advocacy Trust Fund within the Department of Children and
13    Family Services; providing for sources of funds and
14    purposes; requiring the development of an allocation
15    methodology for distributing funds deposited in the trust
16    fund; providing for funds to establish children's advocacy
17    centers; providing for an annual carryforward of funds;
18    providing for future legislative review and termination or
19    re-creation of the trust fund; providing a contingent
20    effective date.
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22          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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24          Section 1. Child Advocacy Trust Fund.--
25          (1)(a) The Child Advocacy Trust Fund is created within the
26    Department of Children and Family Services for the purpose of
27    receiving funds collected from the additional court cost imposed
28    in cases of certain crimes against minors under s. 938.10,
29    Florida Statutes. Funds shall be appropriated to the Department
30    of Children and Family Services as a grants-in-aid for the
31    specific purpose of funding children's advocacy centers. Funds
32    shall be disbursed to the Florida Network of Children's Advocacy
33    Centers, Inc., as established under s. 39.3035, Florida
34    Statutes, for the purpose of providing community-based services
35    that augment, but that do not duplicate, services provided by
36    state agencies.
37          (b) The Board of Directors of the Florida Network of
38    Children's Advocacy Centers, Inc., shall retain 10 percent of
39    all revenues collected for network expenditures and to provide
40    funds to match local contributions in communities establishing
41    children's advocacy centers. The board of directors shall also
42    develop funding criteria and an allocation methodology that
43    ensures an equitable distribution of remaining funds among
44    network participants. The criteria and methodologies shall take
45    into account factors that include, but need not be limited to,
46    the center's accreditation status with respect to the National
47    Children's Alliance, the number of clients served, and the
48    population of the area being served by the children's advocacy
49    center.
50          (2) Notwithstanding s. 216.301, Florida Statutes, and
51    pursuant to s. 216.351, Florida Statutes, any balance in the
52    trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the
53    trust fund at the end of the year and shall be available for
54    carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.
55          (3) Pursuant to s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State
56    Constitution, the trust fund shall, unless terminated sooner, be
57    terminated on July 1, 2007. Before its scheduled termination,
58    the trust fund shall be reviewed as provided in s. 215.3206(1)
59    and (2), Florida Statutes.
60          Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003, if
61    House Bill 1533 or similar legislation is adopted in the same
62    legislative session, or an extension thereof, and becomes law.