| 1 | The Committee on Future of Florida's Families recommends the |
| 2 | following: |
| 3 |
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| 4 | Committee Substitute |
| 5 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 6 | A bill to be entitled |
| 7 | An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for foster |
| 8 | children; creating a pilot program for the purpose of |
| 9 | reimbursing foster parents for a portion of the increased |
| 10 | costs of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child who |
| 11 | has a driver's license; directing the Department of |
| 12 | Children and Family Services to establish the pilot |
| 13 | program in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Manatee Counties; |
| 14 | requiring that the remaining portion of the increase in |
| 15 | costs be borne by the foster child; directing the |
| 16 | department to develop procedures for operating the pilot |
| 17 | program; prohibiting a child who accumulates a specified |
| 18 | number of points due to moving traffic violations from |
| 19 | participating in the pilot program; requiring a report on |
| 20 | the success and outcome of the pilot program; providing an |
| 21 | appropriation; providing an effective date. |
| 22 |
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| 23 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 24 |
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| 25 | Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that foster parents |
| 26 | bear the increased cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster |
| 27 | child after that child attains a driver's license. This increase |
| 28 | in the cost of insurance creates an additional barrier for a |
| 29 | foster child in gaining independence and may limit the child's |
| 30 | opportunities for obtaining employment. In accordance with these |
| 31 | findings, the Legislature directs the Department of Children and |
| 32 | Family Services to establish a 3-year pilot program in Sarasota, |
| 33 | DeSoto, and Manatee Counties. |
| 34 | (2) To the extent that funding is available, the pilot |
| 35 | program shall provide funds to reimburse foster parents for a |
| 36 | portion of the increase in the cost of motor vehicle insurance. |
| 37 | To be eligible for reimbursement under the pilot program, a |
| 38 | foster parent must submit appropriate documentation to the |
| 39 | department demonstrating the increase in the cost of insurance. |
| 40 | The reimbursement amount to be provided to foster parents shall |
| 41 | be one-half of the amount of the increase in the foster parent's |
| 42 | cost of motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a result of |
| 43 | adding the foster child to the policy. The foster child must pay |
| 44 | the other half of the increase in insurance costs. If a foster |
| 45 | child accumulates 6 or more points due to one or more moving |
| 46 | traffic violations, the child's foster parent is ineligible to |
| 47 | receive reimbursement for the increase in insurance costs |
| 48 | incurred for that child. The department shall develop procedures |
| 49 | for operating the pilot program, including, but not limited to, |
| 50 | determining eligibility, providing the reimbursement, ensuring |
| 51 | that reimbursement is limited solely to the additional costs of |
| 52 | including the foster child in the insurance policy, and |
| 53 | allocating available funds. |
| 54 | (3) The department shall submit an annual report to the |
| 55 | Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the |
| 56 | House of Representatives with the first report due July 1, 2005, |
| 57 | on the success and outcomes achieved by the pilot program with a |
| 58 | recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be |
| 59 | continued, terminated, or expanded. |
| 60 | Section 2. The sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the |
| 61 | General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family |
| 62 | Services for the purpose of implementing this act during the |
| 63 | 2004-2005 fiscal year. |
| 64 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |