HB 1845

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

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