| 1 | The Conference Committee on HB 1845 offered the following: |
| 2 |
|
| 3 | Conference Committee Amendment (with title amendment) |
| 4 | Remove everything after the enacting clause and insert: |
| 5 | Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 20.19, Florida |
| 6 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 7 | 20.19 Department of Children and Family Services.--There |
| 8 | is created a Department of Children and Family Services. |
| 9 | (5) SERVICE DISTRICTS AND ZONES.-- |
| 10 | (a) The department shall plan and administer its programs |
| 11 | of family services through service districts and subdistricts |
| 12 | composed of the following counties: |
| 13 | 1. District 1.--Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton |
| 14 | Counties. |
| 15 | 2. District 2, Subdistrict A.--Holmes, Washington, Bay, |
| 16 | Jackson, Calhoun, and Gulf Counties. |
| 17 | 3. District 2, Subdistrict B.--Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, |
| 18 | Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, and Taylor Counties. |
| 19 | 4. District 3.--Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, |
| 20 | Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Union, Bradford, Putnam, and Alachua |
| 21 | Counties. |
| 22 | 5. District 4.--Baker, Nassau, Duval, Clay, and St. Johns |
| 23 | Counties. |
| 24 | 6. District 5.--Pasco and Pinellas Counties. |
| 25 | 7. District 6.--Hillsborough and Manatee Counties. |
| 26 | 8. District 7, Subdistrict A.--Seminole, Orange, and |
| 27 | Osceola Counties. |
| 28 | 9. District 7, Subdistrict B.--Brevard County. |
| 29 | 10. District 8, Subdistrict A.--Sarasota and DeSoto |
| 30 | Counties. |
| 31 | 11. District 8, Subdistrict B.--Charlotte, Lee, Glades, |
| 32 | Hendry, and Collier Counties. |
| 33 | 12. District 9.--Palm Beach County. |
| 34 | 13. District 10.--Broward County. |
| 35 | 14. District 11, Subdistrict A.--Miami-Dade County. |
| 36 | 15. District 11, Subdistrict B.--Monroe County. |
| 37 | 16. District 12.--Flagler and Volusia Counties. |
| 38 | 17. District 13.--Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, and |
| 39 | Lake Counties. |
| 40 | 18. District 14.--Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties. |
| 41 | 19. District 15.--Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and |
| 42 | Martin Counties. |
| 43 | (b)1. The secretary shall appoint a district administrator |
| 44 | for each of the service districts. The district administrator |
| 45 | shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary and shall perform |
| 46 | such duties as assigned by the secretary. Subject to the |
| 47 | approval of the secretary, such duties shall include |
| 48 | transferring up to 10 percent of the total district budget, the |
| 49 | provisions of ss. 216.292 and 216.351 notwithstanding. |
| 50 | 2. Any district For the 2003-2004 fiscal year only, the |
| 51 | transfer authority related to the budget that is beyond the |
| 52 | provisions of chapter 216 provided in this subsection must be |
| 53 | specifically identified appropriated in the 2003-2004 General |
| 54 | Appropriations Act or its implementing bill and shall be |
| 55 | pursuant to the requirements of s. 216.292. This subparagraph |
| 56 | expires July 1, 2004. |
| 57 | (c) The secretary may also establish administrative zones |
| 58 | responsible for providing administrative support, including |
| 59 | programmatic technical assistance, budget and financial |
| 60 | services, data collection an information technology services, |
| 61 | and such other duties as the secretary assigns. The zones shall |
| 62 | be composed of the following districts and counties: |
| 63 | 1. Panhandle Zone.-- |
| 64 | a. District 1.--Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton |
| 65 | Counties. |
| 66 | b. District 2, Subdistrict A.--Holmes, Washington, Bay, |
| 67 | Jackson, Calhoun, and Gulf Counties. |
| 68 | c. District 2, Subdistrict B.--Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, |
| 69 | Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, and Taylor Counties. |
| 70 | 2. Northeast Zone.-- |
| 71 | a. District 3.--Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, |
| 72 | Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Union, Bradford, Putnam, and Alachua |
| 73 | Counties. |
| 74 | b. District 4.--Baker, Nassau, Duval, Clay, and St. Johns |
| 75 | Counties. |
| 76 | c. District 12.--Flagler and Volusia Counties. |
| 77 | 3. The Suncoast Zone.-- |
| 78 | a. District 5.--Pasco and Pinellas Counties. |
| 79 | b. District 6.--Hillsborough and Manatee Counties. |
| 80 | 4. Central Zone.-- |
| 81 | a. District 7, Subdistrict A.--Seminole, Orange, and |
| 82 | Osceola Counties. |
| 83 | b. District 7, Subdistrict B.--Brevard County. |
| 84 | c. District 13.--Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, and |
| 85 | Lake Counties. |
| 86 | d. District 14.--Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties. |
| 87 | 5. Southern Zone.-- |
| 88 | a. District 8, Subdistrict A.--Sarasota and Desoto |
| 89 | Counties. |
| 90 | b. District 8, Subdistrict B.--Charlotte, Lee, Glades, |
| 91 | Hendry, and Collier Counties. |
| 92 | c. District 9.--Palm Beach County. |
| 93 | d. District 10.--Broward County. |
| 94 | e. District 15.--Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and |
| 95 | Martin Counties. |
| 96 | 6. District 11 Zone.-- |
| 97 | a. District 11, Subdistrict A.--Miami-Dade County. |
| 98 | b. District 11, Subdistrict B.--Monroe County. |
| 99 | (d)(c) Each fiscal year the secretary shall, in |
| 100 | consultation with the relevant employee representatives, develop |
| 101 | projections of the number of child abuse and neglect cases and |
| 102 | shall include in the department's legislative budget request a |
| 103 | specific appropriation for funds and positions for the next |
| 104 | fiscal year in order to provide an adequate number of full-time |
| 105 | equivalent: |
| 106 | 1. Child protection investigation workers so that |
| 107 | caseloads do not exceed the Child Welfare League Standards by |
| 108 | more than two cases; and |
| 109 | 2. Child protection case workers so that caseloads do not |
| 110 | exceed the Child Welfare League Standards by more than two |
| 111 | cases. |
| 112 | Section 2. Subsection (10) of section 402.33, Florida |
| 113 | Statutes, is repealed: |
| 114 | 402.33 Department authority to charge fees for services |
| 115 | provided.-- |
| 116 | (10) Unless otherwise specified by the Legislature, fee |
| 117 | collections, including third-party reimbursements, in excess of |
| 118 | fee-supported appropriations may be used in conformance with the |
| 119 | provisions of chapter 216 to fund nonrecurring expenditures for |
| 120 | direct client services and to fund administrative costs of |
| 121 | improving the fee collection program of the department. No more |
| 122 | than one-sixth of the amount of collections in excess of the |
| 123 | amount of appropriations may be used to fund such improvements |
| 124 | to the program. Priority consideration for the expenditure of |
| 125 | excess collections shall be given to those districts and |
| 126 | programs most responsible for the excess. A plan for the use of |
| 127 | excess collections not spent in the fiscal year in which |
| 128 | collected shall be subject to approval by the Executive Office |
| 129 | of the Governor within 90 days from the end of the state fiscal |
| 130 | year in which the excess occurs. |
| 131 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |
| 132 |
|
| 133 | ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================= |
| 134 | Remove the entire title and insert: |
| 135 | A bill to be entitled |
| 136 | An act relating to the organization and operation of the |
| 137 | Department of Children and Family Services; amending s. |
| 138 | 20.19, F.S.; providing for the establishment of zones; |
| 139 | providing that district budget transfer authority shall be |
| 140 | as set out in the General Appropriations Act or the |
| 141 | implementing bill; repealing s. 402.33(10), F.S., relating |
| 142 | to the permitted uses of fee collections in excess of the |
| 143 | amount of appropriations; providing an effective date. |