Senate Bill sb1058c1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SB 1058
By the Committee on Children and Families; and Senator Bennett
300-1978-04
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for
3 foster children; creating a pilot program for
4 the purpose of reimbursing foster parents for a
5 portion of the increased costs of motor vehicle
6 insurance for a foster child who has a driver's
7 license; directing the Department of Children
8 and Family Services to establish the pilot
9 program in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Manatee
10 Counties; requiring that the remaining portion
11 of the increase in costs be borne by the foster
12 child; prohibiting a child who accumulates a
13 specified number of points due to moving
14 traffic violations from participating in the
15 pilot program; directing the department to
16 develop procedures for operating the pilot
17 program; requiring the department to submit a
18 report with recommendations to the Governor and
19 the Legislature by a specified date; providing
20 an appropriation; providing an 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. (1) The Legislature finds that foster
25 parents bear the increased cost of motor vehicle insurance for
26 a foster child after that child attains a driver's license.
27 This increase in the cost of insurance creates an additional
28 barrier for a foster child in gaining independence and may
29 limit the child's opportunities for obtaining employment. In
30 accordance with these findings, the Legislature directs the
31 Department of Children and Family Services to establish a
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SB 1058
300-1978-04
1 3-year pilot program in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Manatee
2 Counties.
3 (2) To the extent that funding is available, the pilot
4 program shall provide funds to reimburse foster parents for a
5 portion of the increase in the cost of motor vehicle
6 insurance. To be eligible for reimbursement under the pilot
7 program, a foster parent must submit appropriate documentation
8 to the department demonstrating the increase in the cost of
9 insurance. The foster parent shall be reimbursed for one-half
10 of the amount of the increase in the foster parent's cost of
11 motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a result of
12 adding the foster child to the policy. The foster child must
13 pay the other half of the increase in insurance costs. If a
14 foster child accumulates six or more points due to one or more
15 moving traffic violations, the child's foster parent is
16 ineligible to receive reimbursement for the increase in
17 insurance costs incurred for that child. The department shall
18 develop procedures for operating the pilot program, including,
19 but not limited to, determining eligibility, providing the
20 reimbursement, ensuring that the reimbursement is limited
21 solely to the additional costs of including the foster child
22 in the insurance policy, and allocating available funds.
23 (3) The department shall submit a report to the
24 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
25 House of Representatives by December 31, 2005, on the success
26 and outcomes achieved by the pilot program with a
27 recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be
28 continued, terminated, or expanded.
29 Section 2. The sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the
30 General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family
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2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SB 1058
300-1978-04
1 Services for the purpose of implementing this act during the
2 2004-2005 fiscal year.
3 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.
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5 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
6 Senate Bill 1058
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* Provide that the reimbursement to foster parents for
9 insurance costs will be provided to the extent funding is
available.
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* Adds Manatee county to the pilot project.
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* Amends the term used to identify the motor vehicle
12 insurance for which the reimbursement can be provided to
remove "liability" which eliminates the potential that
13 reimbursement could be provided for only the liability
portion of the insurance.
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* Requires the Department of Children and Families to
15 develop procedures for the operation of the program.
16 * Requires a report to the Governor and Legislature on the
success and outcomes of the pilot program.
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* Reduces the allocation from $200,000 to $50,000.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.