Senate Bill sb1592c1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1592
By the Committee on Community Affairs; and Senators
Haridopolos, Pruitt, Villalobos, Baker, Fasano, Atwater,
Bennett, Clary, Saunders, Lynn, Sebesta, Jones, Wise,
Alexander, Webster, King, Posey, Peaden, Constantine, Diaz de
la Portilla, Argenziano and Crist
578-1776-05
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Department of Military
3 Affairs; amending s. 250.01, F.S.; defining the
4 term "servicemembers' group life insurance";
5 creating s. 250.342, F.S.; requiring the
6 department to provide life insurance for
7 members of the Florida National Guard, subject
8 to appropriation; requiring a report; creating
9 s. 250.5206, F.S.; requiring the Department of
10 Military Affairs to establish the Family
11 Readiness Program; stating that the purpose of
12 the program is to provide need-based assistance
13 to families of specified members of the Florida
14 National Guard who are on active duty;
15 providing that implementation of the program is
16 subject to appropriations expressly provided
17 for the program; specifying uses of the funds;
18 specifying services for which the funds may be
19 used; providing criteria for program
20 eligibility; providing for a review of requests
21 for assistance under the program; creating a
22 Family Readiness Advisory Board; providing for
23 membership of the board; providing that the
24 Adjutant General or the Adjutant General's
25 designee has the authority to disburse program
26 funds; providing for periodic audits of the
27 program; requiring the department to provide an
28 annual report to the Governor and the
29 Legislature; authorizing the department to
30 adopt rules; providing an effective date.
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1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1592
578-1776-05
1 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
2
3 Section 1. Present subsections (20), (21), (22), and
4 (23) of section 250.01, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as
5 subsections (21), (22), (23), and (24), respectively, and a
6 new subsection (20) is added to that section, to read:
7 250.01 Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the
8 term:
9 (20) "Servicemembers' group life insurance" means the
10 life insurance purchased by the Federal Government from a
11 commercial life insurance company which is currently available
12 to all members of the uniformed services, including members of
13 the Florida Air National Guard and the Florida Army National
14 Guard.
15 Section 2. Section 250.342, Florida Statutes, is
16 created to read:
17 250.342 Life insurance benefits.--
18 (1) The Department of Military Affairs shall provide
19 life insurance on the life of every eligible member of the
20 Florida National Guard. Life insurance coverage under this
21 section shall be provided through the Service Members Group
22 Life Insurance Program or another life insurance program
23 determined by the Adjutant General.
24 (2) Subject to a specific appropriation, the
25 Department of Military Affairs is responsible for paying any
26 premiums for life insurance coverage provided under this
27 section.
28 (3) The life insurance benefits provided under this
29 section are supplemental to any other benefits provided to a
30 member of the Florida National Guard.
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2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1592
578-1776-05
1 (4) The Department of Military Affairs shall report to
2 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
3 the House of Representatives the number of life insurance
4 policies provided and the amount of premiums paid under this
5 section.
6 Section 3. Section 250.5206, Florida Statutes, is
7 created to read:
8 250.5206 Family Readiness Program.--The Department of
9 Military Affairs shall establish a state Family Readiness
10 Program, headed by a program director and based on the United
11 States Department of Defense's National Guard and Reserve
12 Family Readiness Strategic Plan 2004-2005 initiative.
13 (1) PROGRAM PURPOSE.--The purpose of the program shall
14 be to provide need-based assistance to families of members of
15 the Florida National Guard who are on active duty serving in
16 the global war on terrorism and who are federally deployed or
17 participating in state operations for homeland defense.
18 (2) FUNDING.--Implementation of the program is subject
19 to appropriations expressly provided for the program. All
20 funding must be used to purchase needed services and may not
21 be used to fund staffing or administrative costs.
22 (3) ELIGIBLE SERVICES.--Program funds may be used in
23 emergency situations to purchase critically needed services,
24 including, but not limited to, reasonable living expenses,
25 housing, vehicles, equipment or renovations necessary to meet
26 disability needs, and health care requirements.
27 (4) ELIGIBILITY.--Eligible recipients include persons
28 who are designated as beneficiaries on the United States
29 Department of Defense Form 93 or who are otherwise dependents
30 of eligible servicemembers.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1592
578-1776-05
1 (5) REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE; REVIEW; AWARDS.--Requests
2 for assistance must be validated and assessed at the local
3 level by a federal Family Center Support Specialist stationed
4 at a state armory. Recommendations subsequent to assessment
5 and validation must be forwarded to the program director, who
6 shall review the recommendations for eligibility,
7 appropriateness, and sufficiency of documentation. The
8 Adjutant General or his or her designee shall receive the
9 recommendations from the program director and is authorized to
10 award funds pursuant to subsections (3) and (4).
11 (6) AUDITS.--The inspector general of the department
12 shall conduct a monthly audit review of the program.
13 (7) ANNUAL REPORT.--The department shall maintain
14 sufficient data to provide an annual report to the Governor
15 and the Legislature on the families served under the program,
16 the types of services provided, and the allocation of funds
17 spent.
18 (8) RULES.--The department may adopt rules necessary
19 to administer this program, including procedures for applying
20 for assistance, rules relating to qualifying services, and
21 criteria for eligibility.
22 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.
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24 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
25 Senate Bill 1592
26
27 The CS establishes the state Family Readiness Program to
provide need-based financial assistance to families of Florida
28 National Guard members who are on active duty. Program funds
may be used in emergency situations to purchase
29 critically-needed services, including reasonable living
expenses, housing, vehicles, equipment or renovations
30 necessary to meet disability needs, and health care
requirements. The CS provides for program eligibility, review
31 of requests for assistance, and reporting requirement.
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