| 1 | The Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations |
| 2 | Committee recommends the following: |
| 3 |
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| 4 | Council/Committee Substitute |
| 5 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 6 |
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| 7 | A bill to be entitled |
| 8 | An act relating to the Department of Military Affairs; |
| 9 | creating s. 250.5206, F.S.; creating the Family Readiness |
| 10 | Program within the Department of Military Affairs to |
| 11 | provide need-based assistance to families of specified |
| 12 | members of the Florida National Guard on active duty; |
| 13 | providing that implementation of the program shall be |
| 14 | subject to appropriations expressly provided for the |
| 15 | program; specifying use of funds; specifying services for |
| 16 | which funds may be used; providing program eligibility; |
| 17 | providing for review of requests for assistance under the |
| 18 | program; providing authority of the Adjutant General to |
| 19 | award program funds; providing for monthly audits of the |
| 20 | program; providing for annual reports; providing |
| 21 | rulemaking authority of the department; providing an |
| 22 | appropriation; providing an effective date. |
| 23 |
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| 24 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 25 |
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| 26 | Section 1. Section 250.5206, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 27 | to read: |
| 28 | 250.5206 Family Readiness Program.--The Department of |
| 29 | Military Affairs shall establish a Family Readiness Program, |
| 30 | headed by a program director and based on the United States |
| 31 | Department of Defense National Guard and Reserve Family |
| 32 | Readiness Strategic Plan 2004-2005 initiative. |
| 33 | (1) PURPOSE.--The purpose of the program is to provide |
| 34 | need-based assistance to families of members of the Florida |
| 35 | National Guard on active duty serving in the Global War on |
| 36 | Terrorism and who are federally deployed or participating in |
| 37 | state operations for homeland defense. |
| 38 | (2) FUNDING.--Implementation of the program is subject to |
| 39 | appropriations expressly provided for the program. All funding |
| 40 | shall be used to purchase needed services and may not be used to |
| 41 | fund staffing or administrative costs. |
| 42 | (3) ELIGIBLE SERVICES.--Program funds may be used in |
| 43 | emergency situations to purchase critically needed services, |
| 44 | including, but not limited to, reasonable living expenses, |
| 45 | housing, vehicles, equipment or renovations necessary to meet |
| 46 | disability needs, and health care. |
| 47 | (4) ELIGIBILITY.--Eligible recipients shall include |
| 48 | persons designated as beneficiaries on the United States |
| 49 | Department of Defense Form 93 or who are otherwise dependents of |
| 50 | eligible servicemembers. |
| 51 | (5) REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE; REVIEW; AWARDS.--Requests for |
| 52 | assistance shall be validated and assessed at the local level by |
| 53 | a federal Family Center Support Specialist stationed at a state |
| 54 | armory. Recommendations subsequent to assessment and validation |
| 55 | shall be forwarded to the program director who shall review the |
| 56 | recommendations for eligibility, appropriateness, and |
| 57 | sufficiency of documentation. The Adjutant General or his or her |
| 58 | designee shall receive the recommendations from the program |
| 59 | director and is authorized to award funds pursuant to |
| 60 | subsections (3) and (4). |
| 61 | (6) AUDIT.--The inspector general of the department shall |
| 62 | conduct a monthly audit review of the program. |
| 63 | (7) ANNUAL REPORT.--The department shall maintain |
| 64 | sufficient data to provide an annual report to the Governor and |
| 65 | the Legislature on the families served under the program, the |
| 66 | types of services provided, and the allocation of funds spent. |
| 67 | (8) RULES.--The department is authorized to adopt rules |
| 68 | necessary to implement the Family Readiness Program, including |
| 69 | procedures for applying for assistance, qualifying services, and |
| 70 | criteria for eligibility. |
| 71 | Section 2. The sum of $5 million is appropriated for |
| 72 | fiscal year 2005-2006 from the General Revenue Fund to the |
| 73 | Department of Military Affairs for the Family Readiness Program |
| 74 | to provide need-based assistance to families of members of the |
| 75 | Florida National Guard on active duty serving in the Global War |
| 76 | on Terrorism and who are federally deployed or participating in |
| 77 | state operations for homeland defense. |
| 78 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |