HB 275

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to motor vehicle insurance for foster
3	children; creating a pilot program to reimburse foster
4	parents, residential facilities, or foster children who
5	live independently a portion of the increased costs of
6	motor vehicle insurance for a foster child who has a
7	driver's license; directing the Department of Children and
8	Family Services to establish the pilot program in
9	Sarasota, DeSoto, Manatee, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties;
10	requiring that the person who incurs the increased cost
11	submit to the department documentation of that increase;
12	requiring that foster children be encouraged to pay the
13	remaining portion of the increase in cost; directing the
14	department to develop procedures for operating the pilot
15	program; requiring the department to submit a report with
16	recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by a
17	specified date each year of the pilot program; providing
18	an appropriation; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature finds that the increased
23	cost of motor vehicle insurance for a foster child after that
24	child attains a driver's license is borne by the foster parents,
25	the authorized representative of the residential facility, or
26	the foster child if living independently. This increase in the
27	cost of insurance creates an additional barrier for a foster
28	child in gaining independence and may limit the child's
29	opportunities for obtaining employment. In accordance with these
30	findings, the Department of Children and Family Services shall
31	establish a 3-year pilot program in Sarasota, Desoto, Manatee,
32	Pinellas, and Pasco Counties to pay a portion of the cost of
33	motor vehicle insurance for foster children who have obtained a
34	driver's license.
35	(2)  To the extent that funding is available, the pilot
36	program shall provide funds to pay for a portion of the increase
37	in the cost of motor vehicle insurance incurred by foster
38	parents, residential facilities, and foster children living
39	independently. To be eligible for payment under the pilot
40	program, the person incurring the cost must submit to the
41	department appropriate documentation demonstrating the increase
42	in the cost of insurance. The amount of the payment provided to
43	the foster parent, residential facility, or foster child living
44	independently shall be one-half of the amount of the increase in
45	the cost of motor vehicle insurance which is incurred as a
46	result of adding the foster child to the policy or less than
47	one-half if another source of funding is available to pay for
48	the increase. The foster child must be encouraged to pay the
49	other half of the increase in insurance costs.
50	(3)  The department shall develop procedures for operating
51	the pilot program, including, but not limited to, determining
52	eligibility, providing the payment, ensuring that payment is
53	limited solely to the additional cost of including the foster
54	child in the insurance policy, and allocating available funds.
55	(4)  The department shall examine and use, to the extent
56	possible, other available options for funding the cost of the
57	motor vehicle insurance increase, such as, but not limited to,
58	through the child's master trust fund, social security income,
59	child support payments, and other income available to the child.
60	(5)  Beginning January 1, 2007, and continuing for the
61	duration of the pilot program, the department shall submit to
62	the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
63	the House of Representatives an annual report on the success and
64	outcomes achieved by the pilot program, with a recommendation as
65	to whether the pilot program should be continued, terminated, or
66	expanded.
67	Section 2.  The sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the
68	General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family
69	Services for the purpose of implementing this act during the
70	2006-2007 fiscal year.
71	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

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